Semiconductor memory device that can stably perform writing and reading without increasing current consumption even with a low power supply voltage

ABSTRACT

Cell power supply lines are arranged for memory cell columns, and adjust impedances or voltage levels of the cell power supply lines according to the voltage levels of bit lines in the corresponding columns, respectively. In the data write operation, the cell power supply line is forced into a floating state according to the bit line potential on a selected column and has the voltage level changed, and a latching capability of a selected memory cell is reduced to write data fast. Even with a low power supply voltage, a static semiconductor memory device that can stably perform write and read of data is implemented.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device, andparticularly to a static semiconductor memory device (Static RandomAccess Memory; SRAM) of which memory cells include inverter latches.More particularly, the invention relates to a configuration for stablywriting and reading data even under a low power supply voltage conditionin a static semiconductor memory device.

2. Description of the Background Art

When transistors are miniaturized with development of miniaturizationtechnology, voltage scaling according to the miniaturization is requiredfrom the viewpoint of reliability and power consumption. However, aninfluence by variations in manufacturing parameters increases inaccordance with miniaturization, and accordingly, threshold voltages oftransistors forming memory cells vary increasingly so that an operationmargin of a memory lowers, and it becomes difficult to perform stablereading and writing with a low power supply voltage.

Various configurations have been proposed aiming to stably write andread data in the SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) even with such a lowpower supply voltage.

For example, a prior art reference 1 (Japanese Patent Laying-Open No.2002-042476) has disclosed such a configuration that a voltage at thesame level as an external power supply voltage is supplied to SRAM cellsas an operation power supply voltage in a data read operation, and avoltage (VCC−VTH) lower than the external power supply voltage issupplied to the memory cells as the operation power supply voltage in adata write operation. In the data write operation, a Static Noise Margin(SNM) of the memory cell selected by a word line decreases so that dataheld in the memory cell can be easily inverted, and a write margin isimproved.

A prior art reference (Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-303340) hasdisclosed a configuration in which substrate (back gate) potentials arecontrolled in units of SRAM cell columns so that the back gatepotentials of the memory cells in a selected column are made differentbetween the data writing and the data reading, to speed up the datawriting. In the data writing, the source to the back gate is deeplyreverse-biased, to reduce the static noise margin of the memory cell forperforming fast data writing. In the read operation, the source to theback gate of the memory cell transistor is shallowly reverse-biased, toincrease the static noise margin for holding the data stably.

Further, a prior art reference 3 (Japanese Patent Laying-Open No.2004-362695) has disclosed a configuration in which voltage levels ofVDD and VSS source lines supplying high and low-power supply voltages tothe memory cells are controlled in units of SRAM cell columns. In thestandby state and the data write operation, levels of power supplyvoltages VDD/VSS are set to a level at which an absolute value of agate-source voltage of a memory cell transistor is reduced so that agate leakage current is suppressed, and a current consumption in thewrite operation and standby state is reduced. In a read operation, theVDD/VSS source line potential in the selected column are set to a levelat which the absolute value of the gate to source voltage of the memorycell transistor is increased to increase a current drive power of thememory cell transistor for achieving fast data reading.

In the configuration disclosed by the prior art reference 1, a commonvoltage is supplied from a voltage supply circuit to the memory cells inthe memory cell array as an internal power supply voltage of the memorycells. Therefore, the write margin can be improved by lowering theinternal voltage (operation power supply voltage) of the memory cells inthe write cycle. All the memory cells connected to the word line that isselected and activated by a row decoder have the internal voltagelowered. Therefore, the static noise margin decreases in the memory cellon the column that is selected by a column decoder as a write target,allowing easy writing. At the same time, however, the static noisemargins similarly lower in the memory cells of non-write-target on anunselected column and the selected row, and writing of data (inversionof held data) is liable to occur in these memory cells. Therefore, readmargins (static noise margins) decrease in these memory cells on theselected row and the unselected column, and a bit line current (columncurrent) may invert the data to cause destruction of stored data.

The configuration disclosed in the prior art reference 2 changes thesubstrate potentials on a column-by-column basis for improving the writemargin. A column address signal is used for controlling the setting ofsubstrate potentials of a selected column and unselected columns. Forcontrolling the voltage on a column-by-column basis, the substrateregion is formed of a well region common to the memory cells in onecolumn, and has relatively large resistance and capacitance. Inparticular, when the memory cell capacity is increased, an increasednumber of memory cells are arranged in one column. For suppressing theinterconnection resistance and capacitance of the substrate region insuch a state, it is desired to arrange switching elements in a pluralityof positions of each column for selecting a substrate potential. Forselecting the substrate potential in this case, a column address signalinterconnection for the column selection must be made for the switchingelements provided for selecting the substrate potential. This increasesthe number of interconnection lines to increase an interconnectionlayout area, resulting in an increased area of a memory cell array.Further, a drive circuit and others are additionally required for fasttransmission of a column address signal (column select signal) to theswitching elements provided for the substrate potential selection, andthis configuration increases a circuit scale as well as currentconsumption. Further, the above configuration increases lengths ofinterconnection lines that transmit signals for controlling theswitching elements provided for the substrate potential selection, whichincreases the charge/discharge currents on the interconnection linestransmitting the switching element control signals, and thus increasespower consumption.

It is necessary to make an adjustment between timing of change of thesubstrate potential and timing of change of the column address signal sothat data writing into the memory cell may be performed in such a statethat the static noise margin of the memory cell is lowered. This resultsin a problem that timing design is difficult.

In the configuration disclosed by the prior art reference 3, thepotentials of the VDD/VSS source lines are controlled in units of memorycell columns. Although high-side power supply potential (VDD sourcepotential) of the memory cells or the low-side power supply voltage (VSSsource potential) of the memory cells is controlled, this prior artreference 3 aims at reducing the power consumption by reducing the gateleakage current of the memory cell on the unselected column or in thestandby state and reducing the charging/discharging currents of the bitlines on the selected column. The prior art reference 3 fails todisclose a configuration for improving the write margin in the datawriting. Since the column select signal is used for controlling thepotentials of the VDD and VSS source lines, problems similar to those inthe prior art reference 2 may occur depending on arrangements of thepotential control switches.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a semiconductor memory devicethat can stably perform writing and reading without increasing currentconsumption even with a low power supply voltage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a static semiconductormemory device that allows easy adjustment of a high-side power supplyvoltage and/or a potential of a low-side power supply line in a selectedcolumn in units of columns with a simple circuit construction.

A semiconductor memory device according to a first aspect of theinvention includes a plurality of memory cells arranged in rows andcolumns; a plurality of bit lines arranged corresponding to memory cellcolumns and each connected to the memory cells on a correspondingcolumn; a plurality of cell power supply lines, arranged correspondingto the memory cell columns, respectively, each for supplying a firstpower supply voltage to the memory cells on a corresponding column; anda plurality of write assist circuits, arranged corresponding to thememory cell columns, respectively, each for selectively shutting off thesupply of the first power supply voltage to the corresponding cell powersupply line according at least to a voltage on the bit line in thecorresponding column.

In a preferred embodiment, a dummy source line is provided fortransmitting a voltage at a voltage level different from that of thevoltage on the cell power supply line. Each write assist circuits shutsoff the supply of the first power supply voltage to the correspondingcell power supply line in response to the potential of the correspondingbit line, also shuts off the supply of a second power supply voltage tothe dummy source line and electrically couples the corresponding cellpower supply line to the dummy source line. This dummy source line ispreferably arranged corresponding to each of the memory cell columns.

A semiconductor memory device according to a second aspect of theinvention includes a plurality of memory blocks each having a pluralityof memory cells arranged in rows and columns; a plurality of local bitlines, arranged corresponding to respective memory cell columns in eachof the memory blocks, each connected to the memory cells in thecorresponding column; a plurality of cell power supply lines, arrangedcorresponding to the respective memory cell columns in each of thememory blocks, each for supplying a first power supply voltage to thecorresponding memory cells; a plurality of global bit lines providedcommonly to the plurality of memory blocks, and arranged correspondingto the respective memory cell columns; and a plurality of write assistcircuits, arranged corresponding to the cell power supply lines, eachfor shutting off the supply of first power supply voltage to thecorresponding cell power supply line according to the voltage on theglobal bit line in the corresponding column.

A semiconductor memory device according to a third aspect of theinvention includes a plurality of memory cells arranged in rows andcolumns; well regions arranged corresponding to memory cell columns,respectively, extending in the column direction and each supportingtransistors of the memory cells in the corresponding columns, and writeassist circuits, arranged corresponding to the columns, each forcontrolling voltage supply to the well region in a corresponding columnaccording to a voltage on a bit line in the corresponding column.

A semiconductor memory device according to a fourth aspect of theinvention includes a plurality of memory cells arranged in rows andcolumns; a plurality of bit lines, arranged corresponding to memory cellcolumns, each connected to the memory cells in the corresponding column;a plurality of first cell power supply lines, arranged corresponding tothe memory cell columns, respectively, each for transmitting a firstpower supply voltage to the memory cells in the corresponding column; aplurality of second cell power supply lines, arranged corresponding tothe memory cell columns, respectively, each for transmitting a secondpower supply voltage to the memory cells in the corresponding column;and a plurality of write assist circuits, arranged corresponding to thememory cell columns, respectively, each for setting voltage levels ofthe first and second power supply lines so as to reduce a voltagedifference between the first and second power supply lines in thecorresponding column according to the potential of the bit line in thecorresponding column.

A semiconductor memory device according to a fifth aspect of theinvention includes a plurality of memory cells arranged in rows andcolumns; a plurality of bit lines, arranged corresponding to memory cellcolumns, respectively, each connected to the memory cells in thecorresponding column; a plurality of first cell power supply lines,arranged corresponding to the memory cell columns, respectively, eachfor transmitting a first power supply voltage to the memory cells in thecorresponding column; a plurality of second cell power supply lines,arranged corresponding to the memory cell columns, respectively, eachfor transmitting a second power supply voltage to the memory cells inthe corresponding column; and a plurality of write assist circuits,arranged corresponding to the memory cell columns, respectively, eachfor setting voltage levels of the first and second power supply lines soas to reduce a voltage difference between the first and second powersupply lines in the corresponding column according to a write modeinstruction signal and a column select signal.

A voltage supply to a cell power supply line in a memory cell column orto a well region is controlled according to the bit line potential.Therefore, the voltage control for the cell power supply line or thewell region can be performed in units of memory cell columns withoututilizing a column address signal and performing complicated timingcontrol. Further, by shutting off the supply of the first power supplyvoltage to the cell power supply line, the cell power supply lineattains the floating state or another voltage level, and the powersupply potentials of the memory cells in the selected column change toreduce a static noise margin so that fast writing can be achieved. In astandby state or read operation, the bit line potential does not changeor changes only slightly, and data can be held and read stably bycontinuing the power supply to the cell power supply line. By adjustingthe voltage to the well region, a back gate bias effect of the memorycell transistor can increase a current driving power of the memory celltransistor so that the data can be written fast.

Since the column select signal is not used, a circuit configuration forcontrolling the voltage on the power supply lines can be simple, andtiming design can be made without considering the timing of the selectsignal, which facilitates the design. Further, it is not particularlynecessary to use the column select signal, and the power consumption canbe reduced.

By using the first and second cell power supply lines for adjusting thepower supply potential of the memory cell, the potential differencebetween these cell power supply lines can be changed rapidly, and thewrite assistance can function at a faster timing so that the writing canbe performed fast.

By adjusting the potentials of the first and second cell power supplylines according to the write mode instruction signal and column selectsignal, the cell power supply voltage in the selected column can bechanged before the change of the bit line potential so that the writeoperation can be performed faster. In the case of utilizing the columnselect signal, the power supply voltage can be changed for the memorycells in the column subject to the writing, and the first and secondpower supply voltages are supplied in the data read operation and to thecell power supply lines in the unselected column so that the write andread operations can be performed stably without impairing data storagecharacteristics of the unselected memory cells and without reducing theoperation margin in the data read operation.

Although the column select signal is utilized, the potential adjustmentis effected on only the cell power supply line much smaller in parasiticcapacitance and parasitic resistance than the substrate region, andtherefore can be sufficiently made merely by arranging switchingelements for writing assistance at the opposite ends of the cell powersupply line, respectively. By arranging this write assist circuit nearthe column select circuit, complication of the interconnections can beprevented. Further, it is possible to suppress increase ininterconnection length, and therefore to suppress increase in currentconsumption of a column select signal producing section for controllingthe potential of the cell power supply line.

Owing to the above, the write and read of data can be stably performedeven with a low power supply voltage, and the whole power consumption ofthe semiconductor memory device can be reduced by lowering the powersupply voltage.

The write and read can be performed stably, and margins in write andread can be improved even when transistor characteristics such as athreshold voltage are varied increasingly due to miniaturization of thecomponents. Therefore, yield can be improved, and cost can be reduced.

The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of thepresent invention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of the present invention when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically shows a whole construction of a semiconductormemory device according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a construction of a memory cell shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 depicts transmission characteristics of the memory cell shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 4 schematically shows a construction of a main portion of asemiconductor memory device according to a first embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 5 shows internal connections of a memory cell shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a signal waveform diagram schematically representing anoperation of a memory cell circuit shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a signal waveform diagram representing more specifically theoperation of the memory cell circuit shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 schematically shows a construction of a main portion of asemiconductor memory device according to a second embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 9 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation of amemory cell circuit shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 schematically shows a construction of a main portion of asemiconductor memory device according to a third embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 11 shows a construction of a write assist circuit of asemiconductor memory device according to a fourth embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 12 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation of thewrite assist circuit shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 shows a configuration of a write assist circuit according to afifth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 14 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation of thewrite assist circuit shown in FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 schematically shows a cross sectional construction of a powersupply control transistor shown in FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 shows a configuration of a write assist circuit according to asixth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 17 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation of thewrite assist circuit shown in FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 shows a configuration of a write assist circuit according to aseventh embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 19 schematically shows a construction of a main portion of asemiconductor memory device according to a seventh embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 20 shows, by way of example, a construction of a portion generatinga redundant signal shown in FIG. 18.

FIG. 21 shows a construction of a write assist circuit according to aneighth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 22 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation of thewrite assist circuit shown in FIG. 21.

FIG. 23 shows, by way of example, a construction of a portion generatinga power supply voltage shown in FIG. 21.

FIG. 24 shows a construction of a main portion of a semiconductor memorydevice according to a ninth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 25 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation ofcircuits shown in FIG. 24.

FIG. 26 shows a construction of a main portion of a semiconductor memorydevice according to a tenth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 27 shows internal connections of a memory cell shown in FIG. 26.

FIG. 28 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation of acircuit shown in FIG. 26.

FIG. 29 shows a construction of a main portion of a semiconductor memorydevice according to an eleventh embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 30 schematically shows a construction of a main portion of asemiconductor memory device according to a twelfth embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 31 schematically shows internal connections of a memory cell shownin FIG. 30.

FIG. 32 shows, by way of example, a construction of a write assistcircuit shown in FIG. 30.

FIG. 33 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation ofcircuits shown in FIGS. 30-32.

FIG. 34 shows a construction of a main portion of a semiconductor memorydevice according to a thirteenth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 35 shows a construction of a modification of the semiconductormemory device according to the thirteenth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 36 shows a planar layout of memory cells of a write assist circuitshown in FIG. 35.

FIG. 37 shows an electrically equivalent circuit of an interconnectionlayout shown in FIG. 36.

FIG. 38 shows a layout of upper interconnections of the planar layoutshown in FIG. 36.

FIG. 39 shows an electrically equivalent circuit of the interconnectionlayout shown in FIG. 38.

FIG. 40 shows an interconnection layout in a layer upper than theinterconnection layout shown in FIG. 38.

FIG. 41 shows an interconnection layout in a layer upper than theinterconnection layout shown in FIG. 40.

FIG. 42 shows an electrically equivalent circuit of interconnectionsshown in FIG. 41.

FIG. 43 schematically shows a planar layout of a write assist circuit ofa second modification of the thirteenth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 44 schematically shows a construction of a main portion of asemiconductor memory device according to a fourteenth embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 45 shows internal interconnection connections of a memory cellshown in FIG. 44.

FIG. 46 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation of thememory cell circuit shown in FIG. 44.

FIG. 47 schematically shows a construction of a main portion of asemiconductor memory device according to a fifteenth embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 48 schematically shows a construction of a portion related to oneglobal bit line in the semiconductor memory device according to thefifteenth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 49 schematically shows a construction of a main portion of asemiconductor memory device according to a sixteenth embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 50 schematically shows a construction of a main portion of asemiconductor memory device according to a seventeenth embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 51 shows, by way of example, a configuration of a memory cell shownin FIG. 50.

FIG. 52 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation of thesemiconductor memory device shown in FIG. 50.

FIG. 53 shows a first construction of a write assist circuit accordingto the seventeenth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 54 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation of thewrite assist circuit shown in FIG. 53.

FIG. 55 shows a second construction of the write assist circuitaccording to the seventeenth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 56 shows a third construction of the write assist circuit accordingto the seventeenth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 57 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation of thewrite assist circuit shown in FIG. 56.

FIG. 58 shows a fourth construction of the write assist circuitaccording to the seventeenth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 59 schematically shows a construction of a main portion of asemiconductor memory device according to an eighteenth embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 60 shows, by way of example, constructions of a write assistcircuit and a potential holding circuit shown in FIG. 59.

FIG. 61 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation of thecircuits shown in FIG. 60.

FIG. 62 shows another construction of the write assist circuit accordingto the eighteenth embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Whole Construction

FIG. 1 schematically shows a whole construction of a semiconductormemory device according to the invention. In FIG. 1, the semiconductormemory device includes a memory cell array 1 having memory cells MCarranged in rows and columns, and a cell power supply control unit 2that controls memory cell power supply voltages of respective memorycells in units of columns. Bit line pairs BL0 and /BL0, . . . , and BLnand /BLn are arranged corresponding to the columns of the memory cells,respectively. Further, word lines WL0-WLm are arranged corresponding torows of memory cells MC, respectively.

In memory cell array 1, there are further arranged cell power supplylines PVL0-PVLn of which voltage levels are set in units of memory cellcolumns.

Cell power supply control unit 2 includes write assist circuitsPCK0-PCKn arranged corresponding to bit line pairs BL0 and /BL0, and BLnand /BLn, respectively. These write assist circuits PCK0-PCKn shut offthe supply of the cell power supply voltages to the corresponding cellpower supply lines PVL, or sets them to a floating state or to anothervoltage level according to the voltage levels of corresponding bit linepairs BL0 and /BL0, . . . , and BLn and /BLn, respectively. The cellpower supply line transmits one of a high-side power supply voltage VDD,a low-side power supply voltage VSS and a back gate voltage. The memorycell is formed of MOS transistors (insulated gate field effecttransistors), and the back gate voltage is a voltage applied to asubstrate region thereof.

The semiconductor memory device further includes a row select drivecircuit 3 that drives the word line corresponding to an addressed rowaccording to an internal row address signal RA, a column select circuit4 that selects the bit line pair corresponding to the selected columnaccording to an internal column address signal CA, a write circuit 5that transmits write data (data to be written) to the bit line paircorresponding to the column selected by column select circuit 4 in adata write operation, a read circuit 6 that produces read data bysensing and amplifying data received from the bit lines correspondingthe column selected by column select circuit 4, and a main controlcircuit 7 that produces internal row address signal RA, internal columnaddress signal CA and control signals required for various operationsaccording to an externally applied address signal AD, a writeinstruction signal WE and a chip enable signal CE.

Row select drive circuit 3 includes a row decoder for decoding the rowaddress signal as well as a word line drive circuit for driving theselected word line to the selected state according to the result of rowdecoding, and drives the word line corresponding to the selected row tothe selected state according to a word line activation timing signalprovided from main control circuit 7. Likewise, column select circuit 4decodes column address signal CA according to the column select timingsignal received from main control circuit 7, and selects the bit linecorresponding to the selected column based on the column select signalproduced from a result of decoding.

Write circuit 5 includes an input buffer and a write drive circuit, andproduces internal write data according to externally supplied write dataDI in the data writing. Read circuit 6 includes a sense amplifiercircuit and an output buffer, and produces external read data DO bybuffering the data that are sensed and amplified by a sense amplifier byan output buffer in a data read mode. Write circuit 5 and read circuit 6may write or read data of multiple bits, or memory cell array 1 shown inFIG. 1 may be arranged corresponding to one bit of input/output data.

Although in memory cell array 1, there is further provided bit line loadcircuits that precharge bit line BL0 and /BL0, . . . , and BLn and /BLnto a predetermined voltage, and supply a read current (column current)thereto in data reading, FIG. 1 does not show the bit line loadcircuits.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a construction of memory cell MC shown inFIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows a construction in which memory cell MC is formed ofa full CMOS single-port SRAM cell. In FIG. 2, memory cell MC includes aP-channel MOS transistor (insulated gate field effect transistor) PQ1connected between a high-side power supply node VH and a storage nodeND1 and having a gate connected to a storage node ND2, an N-channel MOStransistor NQ1 connected between storage node ND1 and a low-side powersupply node VL and having a gate connected to storage node ND2, aP-channel MOS transistor PQ2 connected between high-side power supplynode VH and storage node ND2 and having a gate connected to storage nodeND1, an N-channel MOS transistor NQ2 connected between storage node ND2and low-side power supply node VL and having a gate connected to storagenode ND1, and N-channel MOS transistors NQ3 and NQ4 coupling storagenodes ND1 and ND2 to bit lines BL and /BL according to the voltage onword line WL, respectively.

In the construction of memory cell MC shown in FIG. 2, MOS transistorPQ1 and NQ1 form a CMOS inverter, MOS transistors PQ2 and NQ2 formanother CMOS inverter, and these inverters have inputs and outputscross-coupled to form an inverter latch. Therefore, storage nodes ND1and ND2 hold data complementary to each other.

FIG. 3 shows transmission characteristics of the inverter latch formedof transistors PQ1, PQ2, NQ1 and NQ2 of memory cell MC shown in FIG. 2.In FIG. 3, the abscissa axis measures a voltage level of storage nodeND1, and the ordinate axis measures the voltage level of storage nodeND2. A curve k1 represents inverter characteristics of MOS transistorsPQ1, NQ1 and NQ3, and a curve k2 represents inverter characteristics ofMOS transistors PQ2, NQ2 and NQ4. These curves k1 and k2 are symmetricalto each other with respect to a line having a gradient of 45 degrees.These curves k1 and k2 form regions that are so-called “eye of cell”. Aninscribed square in the “eye of cell” is represented by broken line inthe figure, and a length of one side of this square is referred to as astatic noise margin SNM during the data holding and reading, andexhibits stability of the held data. This static noise margin SNM may bedefined by a diameter of an inscribed circle of the curves. Intersectionpoints S1 and S2 at the opposite sides of curves k1 and k2 representstable points. Point S1 represents data “0”, and point S2 representsdata “1”.

In the input/output transmission characteristics, when high-side powersupply voltage VDD or the voltage level lowers, curve k1 moves to aposition of a curve kk1, and curve k2 moves to a position of a curve kk2so that the static noise margin lowers to impair the stability of data.When low-side power supply voltage VSS rises, curves k2 and k1 change indirections opposite to those in the case where high-side power supplyvoltage VDD change, and the static noise margin deteriorates.

In the data write operation, internal storage nodes ND1 and ND2 arecoupled to bit lines BL and /BL through access transistors NQ3 and NQ4,respectively. In the input/output transmission characteristics of thememory cell in this state, it is required that point S2 or S1 shown inFIG. 3 is not present, curves k1 and k2 are open at this point-absentposition to have a single stable point. In the data writing, when alatching ability of the memory cell is large, the held data is notinverted, and data cannot be written. For stably writing the data,therefore, it is necessary to reduce the latching capability of thememory cell to increase the write margin.

The embodiments of the invention utilizes the above, and specificallyutilizes the fact that the bit line potentials are driven to an H level(logically high level) and an L level (logically low level) in the datawriting, for changing the voltage levels of cell power supply voltageVDD or VSS on the selected column, to lower the stability of the dataretention of the cell to increase the write margin.

Cell power supply lines PVL0-PVLn shown in FIG. 1 may carry any one ofhigh-side power supply voltage VDD, low-side power supply voltage VSSand the back gate voltage. The following description will first be givenof a construction for adjusting the voltage level of high-side powersupply voltage VDD.

In the construction as described above, the write assist circuit isarranged at one end of bit line pair BL and /BL. However, the writeassist circuits may be arranged at the opposite ends of the bit linepair, respectively, or the write assist circuit may be arranged one onlyin a central position of the bit line pair. Thus, the number of thewrite assist circuit(s) required per bit line pair is at least one, andis appropriately determined in view of the load of the VDD source line,the current driving capability of the memory cell, the current drivingpower of the write driver and others.

First Embodiment

FIG. 4 shows a construction of the write assist circuit according to thefirst embodiment of the invention. FIG. 4 shows a construction of thewrite assist circuit provided for one bit line pair BL and /BL. In FIG.4, memory cells MC in one column are connected to a common bit line pairBL and /BL. A high-side power supply line (which will be referred to asa “VDD source line” hereinafter) VDM transmitting high-side power supplyvoltage VDD is arranged as the cell power supply line for bit line pairBL and /BL. VDD source line VDM is connected to high-side power supplynodes VH of memory cells MC on the corresponding column.

The write assist circuits include write assist circuits PCKa and PCKbarranged at opposite ends of VDD source line VDM, respectively. Writeassist circuits PCKa and PCKb have the same circuit construction, andcorresponding portions are allotted with the same reference numerals.

Write assist circuit PCKa includes an inverter IV1 receiving a voltageon bit line BL, an inverter IV2 receiving a voltage on complementary bitline /BL, and P-channel MOS transistors PT1 and PT2 which are connectedin series between the high-side power supply node and VDD source lineVDM, and receive output signals of inverters IV1 and IV2 on theirrespective gates. By arranging write assist circuits PCKa and PCKb atthe opposite ends of VDD source line VDM, respectively, theinterconnection resistance of the VDD source line VDM can beequivalently reduced, and accordingly, high-side power supply voltageVDD can be stably supplied to the corresponding memory cells withoutcausing voltage drop. Also, VDD source line VDM can rapidly return tothe original level of high-side power supply voltage VDD aftercompletion of the writing.

Bit lines BL and /BL are coupled to a write driver circuit 5 a and asense amplifier circuit 6 a via a column select gate CSG included incolumn select circuit 4 shown in FIG. 1. Write driver 5 a is included inwrite circuit 5 shown in FIG. 1, and sense amplifier circuit 6 a isincluded in read circuit 6 shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 shows connections of transistors in memory cell MC shown in FIG.4. As shown in FIG. 5, the high-side power supply nodes (source nodes)of P-channel MOS transistors PQ1 and PQ2 of memory cell MC are coupledto the common VDD source line VDM. Storage nodes ND1 and ND2 holdcomplementary data at H and L levels or L and H levels corresponding tothe storage data, respectively.

A bit line load circuit 9 supplying a column current in the data readingis provided for bit lines BL and /BL. Bit line load circuit 9 prechargesbit lines BL and /BL to the level of high-side power supply voltage VDD.Normally, bit line load circuit 9 is kept inactive in the data writingso that the voltages on the bit lines are fully swung, or driven to thelevels of VDD and VSS rapidly and reliably according to the write data.

FIG. 6 is a signal waveform diagram briefly representing operations ofthe circuits shown in FIG. 4 in a mode of reading and writing data.Referring to FIG. 6, the operation principle of the memory circuit shownin FIG. 4 will now be described briefly.

First, in the data reading, row select drive circuit 3 shown in FIG. 1drives word line WL corresponding to a selected row to the H level(level of voltage VDD) according to the row address signal (row addresssignal RA in FIG. 1). When word line WL is driven to the selected state,access transistors NQ3 and NQ4 shown in FIG. 5 are turned on to connectbit lines BL and /BL to storage nodes ND1 and ND2, respectively. Bitline load circuit 9 supplies a column current to bit lines BL and /BLand the potentials of bit lines BL and /BL are changed.

It is now assumed that storage nodes ND1 and ND2 store H and L data,respectively. In this case, the column current is discharged from bitline BL to the low-side power supply node through storage node ND2 andMOS transistor NQ2 so that the potential of complementary bit line /BLlowers. The voltage level of storage node ND2 rises to a voltage levelwhich is determined by the current driving abilities of accesstransistor NQ4 and driver transistors NQ2 as well as the bit line loadresistance.

Storage node ND1 is at the H level that is substantially the same as thepotential of bit line BL, and MOS transistor NQ1 is in an off state sothat the voltage level of node ND1 substantially does not change.

Complementary bit line /BL is discharged through the selected memorycell, and the voltage level thereof lowers. Bit lines BL and /BL arecoupled to internal data lines via column select gate CSG, and arefurther coupled to the sense amplifier for reading the data. In the datareading, the voltage amplitude of the bit line is small, and thepotential of complementary bit line /BL is at the voltage level higherthan an input logical threshold VT of inverter IV2. Therefore, theoutput signal of inverter IV2 maintains the L level, and MOS transistorsPT1 and PT2 in each of write assist circuits PCKa and PCKb areconductive, so that VDD source line VDM is connected to the high-sidepower supply node, and VDD source line VDM maintains the level ofhigh-side power supply voltage VDD.

In the data reading, therefore, the voltage level of storage node ND2rises according to a β-ratio (conductance ratio) between MOS transistorsNQ2 and NQ4, but the static noise margin is sufficiently large so thatthe data can be stably read without causing destruction of the data.

The memory cells on the selected column and the unselected rows arestably supplied with the cell power supply voltage, and the accesstransistors thereof are in an off state, so that the unselected memorycells have no current flowing path, and stably hold the data.

When the data read period ends, word line WL attains the unselectedstate, and MOS transistors NQ3 and NQ4 are turned off so that storagenodes ND1 and ND2 return to the original H and L levels, respectively.Likewise, bit line load circuit 9 restores bit lines BL and /BL to theoriginal precharge voltage (VDD level).

In the data writing, word line WL is likewise driven to the selectedstate. Then, write driver 5 a transmits the write data to the bit linein the selected column via column select gate CSG, and bit lines BL and/BL are driven to the H and L levels according to the write data,respectively. It is now assumed that storage node ND1 is kept at the Hlevel, and bit lines BL and /BL are driven to the L and H levels,respectively. In this case, the data at the logical level opposite tothat of the data held on storage nodes ND1 and ND2 is written into thememory cell. In this case, the bit line at the L level (i.e., bit lineBL) out of bit lines BL and /BL is at the level of low-side power supplyvoltage VSS. In the write assist circuits PCKa and PCKb, therefore, theoutput signal of inverter IV1 attains the H level, and MOS transistorPT1 is turned off to isolate the high-side power supply node (VDD supplynode) from VDD source line VDM so that VDD source line VDM enters thefloating state.

When word line WL is driven to the selected state, storage nodes ND1 andND2 are coupled to bit lines BL and /BL via access transistors NQ3 andNQ4 to change the voltage levels thereof according to the write data,respectively.

When the data in memory cell MC is to be inverted in the data writeoperation, the current flows through both MOS transistors PQ1 and PQ2(i.e., a through current in the cell and discharging current to the Llevel bit line), and accumulated charges on VDD source line VDM in thefloating state are discharged so that the voltage level of high-sidepower supply node VH of selected memory cell MC lowers. Thereby, thedata holding characteristics of memory cell MC lower to improve thewrite characteristics, and storage nodes ND1 and ND2 can be accuratelyand rapidly driven to the L and H levels according to the write data,respectively.

FIG. 7 represents specific operation waveforms of the memory cellcircuit shown in FIG. 4. When word line WL is driven to the selectedstate in the data read operation, MOS transistors NQ3 and NQ4 shown inFIG. 5 are turned on to couple bit lines BL and /BL to storage nodes ND1and ND2, respectively. In this case, the potentials of bit lines BL and/BL change according to the storage data as described above, but thechanged levels are higher than the voltage level of input logicalthresholds VT of inverters IV1 and IV2. Therefore, the output signals ofinverters IV1 and IV2 maintain the H level, and both P-channel MOStransistors PT1 and PT2 are conductive, so that VDD source line VDMmaintains the level of power supply voltage VDD even when it isdischarged via the selected memory cell.

Accordingly, even when the potential of the storage node storing the Llevel data (i.e., storage node ND2) between storage nodes ND1 and ND2 israised by the column current flowing from the bit line in the datareading, the sufficiently large static noise margin is maintained sothat the data can be stably held, the data can be accurately read andthe data destruction does not occur.

In the data write operation, the write data is first transmitted fromwrite driver circuit 5 a shown in FIG. 4 onto bit lines BL and /BLcorresponding to the selected column via column select gate CSG (seeFIG. 4), and these bit lines BL and /BL are set to the H and L levels,respectively. According to the potential changes of bit lines BL and/BL, one of the output signals of inverters IV1 and IV2 attains the Hlevel in each of write assist circuits PCKa and PCKb, and correspondingP-channel MOS transistor PT1 or PT2 is turned off so that VDD sourceline VDM enters the floating state.

In this state, word line WL is driven to the selected state, and storagenodes ND1 and ND2 are coupled to bit lines BL and /BL, respectively. Inthis operation, the write data at the logical level opposite to that ofthe data held in memory cell MC is transmitted so that the throughcurrents flow via MOS transistors PQ1, PQ2, NQ1 and NQ2. Also, thecurrent flows to the bit line at the L level from cell high-side powersupply node VH, and the potential of VDD source line VDM in the floatingstate lowers.

Concurrently with the potential drop of VDD source line VDM, thepotentials of storage nodes ND1 and ND2 change according to thepotentials of bit lines BL and /BL. FIG. 7 represents signal waveformsin such a case that storage nodes ND1 and ND2 previously storing the Hand L levels data turn to store the L and H level data, respectively.According to the data retention characteristics of the cell, the voltagelevels of storage nodes ND1 and ND2 slowly change depending on the bitline voltages. When storage nodes ND1 and ND2 attain the same voltagelevel, the latching state of the cell is inverted, and the voltagelevels of storage nodes ND1 and ND2 will rapidly change to the H and Llevels depending on the bit line voltages, respectively. Therefore, whenthe stability of the holding characteristics reduced and the writemargin increases according to the lowering of the voltage level of theVDD source line, the potential levels of storage nodes ND1 and ND2change from a stable point to an unstable point without difficulty, andthe potentials of these storage nodes ND1 and ND2 change to hold thepotential levels depending on the write data. When nodes ND1 and ND2 aredriven to the levels of voltages (VDD−ΔV) and VSS according to the writedata, the path of the through current is cut off in memory cell MC sothat the potential drop of VDD source line VDM stops (i.e., it attainsthe same voltage level as the high-side storage node when channelresistances of load transistors PQ1 and PQ2 are neglected).

At this stage, the voltage on the high-side storage node is at the levelof the voltage on VDD source line VDM, and MOS transistors PT1 and PT2in each of write assist circuits PCKa and PCKb are in an off state. Evenwhen corresponding bit line BL or /BL is at the voltage level of VDD,the threshold voltages of the access transistors (NQ3 and NQ4) affectmerely to drive the storage node to the voltage level of up to thevoltage of (VDD−Vth) by the write driver if the word line is at thevoltage VDD. Therefore, the voltage level of the storage node is lowerthan voltage VDD.

When the data writing is completed, word line WL is driven to theunselected state, and the memory cell stably maintains the data. Then,column select gate CSG isolates bit lines BL and /BL from write drivercircuit 5 a, and bit line load circuit 9 (see FIG. 4) restores bit linesBL and /BL to the original voltage level.

As the voltages on bit lines BL and /BL are restored, both the outputsignals of inverters IV1 and IV2 attain the H level to turn on MOStransistors PT1 and PT2, and the voltage level of VDD source line VDMreturns to the level of high-side power supply voltage VDD. In responseto this return of the voltage level of VDD source line VDM, the voltageon the high side storage node rises to the level of voltage VDD.

In the data write operation, the write data is not transmitted to thememory cells on the selected row and unselected columns, and potentialchanges similar to those in the data read operation occur on bit linesBL and /BL. Similarly to the read operation mode, therefore, VDD sourceline VDM of the memory cells on the unselected column and selected roware kept at the level of high-side power supply voltage VDD, and thedata holding characteristics of the selected row and unselected columnsdo not deteriorate so that the possibility of read destruction of thedata is extremely low, and the data can be stably held.

In the memory cells on the unselected rows and selected column, thevoltage level of cell high-side power supply node VH lowers, but theaccess transistors are kept off, so that a path of current flow is notpresent within each cell, and the storage data is stably held.

According to the first embodiment of the invention, as described above,the VDD source line supplying the high-side power supply voltage isselectively maintained in the floating state or the power supplyingstate according to the bit line potential. In only the data writingoperation, therefore, the power supply voltage level of the memory cellsin the selected column can be changed, and the write margin can beincreased to achieve fast data reading.

In the read operation, the potential amplitude of the bit line in theselected column is small, the VDD source line is kept at the level ofhigh-side power supply voltage VDD and the memory cell stably holds thedata.

Since write assist circuits PCKa and PCKb are arranged on the oppositesides of VDD source line VDM, respectively, it is possible to preventpotential lowering that may be caused by the interconnection resistanceof VDD source line VDM (the interconnection length of VDD source linecan be equivalently reduced to half times), and thereby it is possibleto prevent reduction of the static noise margin of the memory cell inthe read operation.

The potential of VDD source line is controlled merely based on the bitline potential, and it is not necessary to utilize the column addresssignal, so that interconnections for using the column address signalsfor the voltage control are not required.

The bit line voltage is utilized for setting the state of the VDD sourceline, the state of the memory cell power supply line is set when a wordline is selected, and it is not particularly required to employ acircuit for adjusting timing between setting of the state of the powersupply line and the selection of the word line so that the constructionfor the power supply control can be made simple.

The write characteristics can be improved, and the memory operation canbe stable even when high-side power supply voltage VDD is low. Althoughthere is a lower limit of the voltage level ensuring the data retentioncharacteristics, the power consumption can be reduced by lowering thecell power supply voltage.

The MOS transistors employed in each of write assist circuits PCKa andPCKb for controlling the connection between the VDD source line and thehigh-side power supply node can be arranged in an optimum positioninside the memory cell array, and these may be arranged in a centralposition of the VDD source line, not only at the opposite sides.Flexibility in layout is improved, and the voltage drop due to theinterconnection resistance of the VDD source line can be suppressed sothat the operation margin with a low power supply voltage can bemaintained.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 8 schematically shows a construction of a portion (memory cellcircuit) related to memory cells MC in one row of a semiconductor memorydevice according to a second embodiment of the invention. In theconstruction shown in FIG. 8, write assist circuits PCKa and PCKb arearranged on the opposite sides of VDD source line VDM. VDD source lineVDM is individually arranged for each column, and is commonly coupled tohigh-side power supply nodes VH of memory cells MC arranged in alignmentin the corresponding column. In FIG. 8, memory cells MC arranged in fourrows are shown as a representative example. Word lines WL0-WL3 arearranged corresponding to the respective memory cell rows.

Bit lines BL and /BL are arranged corresponding to the memory cellcolumn, and bit lines BL and /BL are coupled to an internal data bus IOvia column select gate CSG. Column select gate CSG is selectively madeconductive to couple corresponding bit lines BL and /BL to internal databus IO according to a column select signal CSL received from a columndecoder 4 a. Column decoder 4 a is included in the column select circuitshown in FIG. 1, and decodes column address signal CA received from maincontrol circuit 7 to produce column select signal CSL.

Similarly to the construction shown in FIG. 4, a bit line load circuitis arranged for bit lines BL and /BL, but is not shown in FIG. 8 for thesake of simplicity. In the standby state, bit lines BL and /BL areprecharged to the H level of power supply voltage VDD. This bit lineload circuit is kept inactive in the data write operation.

Write assist circuits PCKa and PCKb have the same construction, andcorresponding portions are allotted with the same reference numerals.Each of write assist circuits PCKa and PCKb includes a 2-input NAND gateNG1 receiving the voltages on bit lines BL and /BL, and a P-channel MOStransistor PT3 for coupling the VDD power supply node to VDD source lineVDM according to an output signal of NAND gate NG1.

Thus, the constructions of write assist circuits PCKa and PCKb shown inFIG. 8 differ from those of the first embodiment already described inthat 2-input NAND gate NG1 is employed in place of the invertersarranged for respective bit lines BL and /BL.

Internal connections of memory cell MC are the same as those of memorycell MC shown in FIG. 5, and high-side power supply nodes VH of loadtransistors (PQ1 and PQ2) are commonly coupled to VDD source line VDM.

FIG. 9 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation of thememory cell circuit shown in FIG. 8. Referring to FIG. 9, briefdescription will now be given of the operations of the memory cellcircuit shown in FIG. 8. In the data reading, the potential of word lineWL corresponding to an addressed row rises to the H level (VDD level).Thereby, the access transistors (NQ3 and NQ4) are turned on to couplestorage nodes ND1 and ND2 to bit lines BL and /BL in memory cell MC,respectively. Responsively, the potential of the storage node (e.g.,ND2) storing L level data rises according to the column current flowingthrough, e.g., bit line /BL (to attain the voltage level correspondingto the β-ratio between the transistor (NQ3, NQ4) and driver transistor(NQ1, NQ2) as well as the resistance value of the bit line loadcircuit).

The potentials of bit lines BL and /BL change according to the storagedata of memory cell MC on the selected row. Bit lines BL and /BL arecoupled to internal data bus IO via column select gate CSG, and thepotential level thereof continuously changes. In the data readoperation, however, the potential amplitudes of bit lines BL and /BL arehigher than the voltage level of input logical threshold VTG of NANDgate NG1, and NAND gate NG1 determines that both the voltage levels ofbit lines BL and /BL are at the H level, and maintains its output signalat the L level.

Therefore, MOS transistor PT3 maintains the on state, and maintains VDDsource line VDM at the level of high-side power supply voltage VDD.Thereby, the data can be read while stably holding the data of memorycell MC, similarly to the first embodiment.

In the data write operation, the voltage levels of bit lines BL and /BLare driven to the H and L levels (VDD and VSS levels), respectively,according to the write data supplied from column select gate CSG viawrite driver circuit 5 a. As the voltage level of one of bit lines BLand /BL lowers, one of the inputs of NAND gate NG1 attains the L level,and the output signal thereof attains the H level so that P-channel MOStransistor PT3 is turned off, and VDD source line VDM enters thefloating state.

When word line WL is driven to the selected state according to theoutput signal of the row select circuit (not shown), storage nodes ND1and ND2 of the memory cell in the selected row are coupled to bit linesBL and /BL, respectively. In the operation of writing the data at thelogical level opposite to that of the storage data of the memory cell,the voltage levels of storage nodes ND1 and ND2 in the selected memorycell change. When this potential changes occurs on the storage nodes,the through current flows via the load transistor and driver transistorin the memory cell, and the charges on VDD source line VDM in thefloating state are consumed to lower its voltage level so that thepotential difference between storage nodes ND1 and ND2 furtherdecreases, the data holding characteristics decrease due to potentiallowering of VDD source line VDM (i.e., the write margin increases) andthe respective storage data of storage nodes ND1 and ND2 are invertedand set to the voltage levels corresponding to the write datatransmitted onto bit lines BL and /BL.

After the data writing ends, word line WL is driven to the unselectedstate, and bit lines BL and /BL return to the original precharge voltagelevels so that NAND gate NG1 outputs the signal at the L level, and thevoltage level of VDD source line VDM returns to the level of high-sidepower supply voltage VDD.

Even when word line WL is in the selected state, the write data is nottransmitted onto bit lines BL and /BL during the nonconductive state ofcolumn select gate CSG, and the potential changes from the prechargevoltage level similarly to that in the data read operation. In thiscase, however, the potential amplitude thereof is small, the outputsignal of NAND gate NG1 is at the L level, VDD source line VDM issupplied with high-side power supply voltage VDD through P-channel MOStransistor PT3, and has the voltage level kept at high-side power supplyvoltage VDD level. Therefore, the memory cells on the selected row andunselected columns stably hold the storage data.

In the memory cells on the unselected rows and selected column, a pathof current flow is not present, and the storage data are stably heldsimilarly to the first embodiment.

As described above, with the construction of the write assist circuitaccording to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the effect similarto that of the first embodiment can be achieved.

NAND gate NG1 receives the voltages on bit lines BL and /BL to detectthe change thereof, and only one P-channel MOS transistor PT3 isconnected between the supply node of high-side power supply voltage VDDand VDD source line VDM. Therefore, the resistance component (channelresistance) between the high-side power supply voltage supplying nodeand the VDD source line decreases so that the voltage on the VDD sourceline can rapidly return to high-side power supply voltage VDD. Also, theinterconnection resistance of VDD source line VDL is small, and thevoltage drop thereof is small so that the cell power supply voltage atthe predetermined voltage level (VDD level) can be stably supplied tothe high-side power supply node of the memory cell in the correspondingcolumn.

Third Embodiment

FIG. 10 schematically shows a construction of a memory cell array of thesemiconductor memory device according to a third embodiment of theinvention. FIG. 10 schematically shows a circuit construction for memorycells MC arranged in four rows and four columns. Bit line pairs BL0 and/BL0, BL1 and BL1, BL2 and /BL2, and BL3 and /BL3 are arrangedcorresponding to the memory cell columns, respectively.

Bit lines BL0 and /BL0, and BL1 and /BL1 are coupled to a two-to-oneselector 4 b 0, and bit lines BL2 and BL2, and BL3 and /BL3 are likewisecoupled to a two-to-one selector 4 b 1. These two-to-one selectors 4 b 0and 4 b 1 perform two-to-one selection according to column addresssignal CA, and each selects one bit line pair from the corresponding twobit line pairs.

A write driver 5 a 0 and a sense amplifier circuit 6 a 0 are arrangedfor two-to-one selector 4 b 0, and a write driver 5 a 1 and a senseamplifier circuit 6 a 1 are arranged for two-to-one selector 4 b 1.

These two-to-one selectors 4 b 0 and 4 b 1 are included in column selectcircuit 4 shown in FIG. 1, and perform column selecting operations inparallel according to column address signal CA. Write driver 5 a 0 andsense amplifier circuit 6 a 0 perform input/output of data DI0 and DO0,and write driver 5 a 1 and sense amplifier circuit 6 a 1 performinput/output of data DI1 and DO1. Therefore, the construction shown inFIG. 10 performs write/read of 2-bit data.

Word lines WL0-WL3 are arranged corresponding to the memory cell row,respectively. In the construction for the memory cell power supplycontrol shown in FIG. 10, the memory cells on each bit line pair aredivided into a plurality of groups, and a divided VDD source line isarranged for each memory cell group. More specifically, divided VDDsource lines VDM0A and VDM0B are arranged parallel in the columndirection for bit lines BL0 and BL0, and divided VDD source lines VDM1Aand VDM1B are arranged for bit lines BL1 and /BL1. Divided VDD sourcelines VDM2A and VDM2B are arranged for bit lines BL2 and /BL2, anddivided VDD source lines VDM3A and VDM3B are arranged for bit lines BL3and /BL3.

Write assist circuits PCKa0-PCKa3 are arranged corresponding to dividedVDD source lines VDM0A-VDM3A, respectively, and write assist circuitsPCKb0-PCKb3 are arranged corresponding to divided VDD source linesVDM0B-VDM3B, respectively. These write assist circuits PCKa0-PCKa3 andPCKb0-PCKb3 have substantially the same constructions as write assistcircuits PCKa and PCKb shown in FIG. 8, and corresponding portions areallotted with the same reference numerals. Each of write assist circuitsPCKa0-PCKa3 and PCKb0-PCKb3 has an NAND gate NG1 receiving voltages onthe corresponding paired bit lines, and a P-channel MOS transistor PT3selectively coupling the supply node of high-side power supply voltageVDD (referred to as a “VDD supply node” hereinafter) to thecorresponding divided VDD source line according to the output signal ofcorresponding NAND gate NG1.

In the construction of the memory cell power supplying control shown inFIG. 10, the operation in data reading is the same as in theconstruction employing the write assist circuits of the secondembodiment. Thus, a potential difference appears on each bit line pairin accordance with the word line selection, but the potential differenceis small. NAND gate NG1 determines that the potentials of thecorresponding bit lines are at the H level. Each of divided VDD sourcelines VDM0A-VDM3A and VDM0B-VDM3B is kept at the level of high-sidepower supply voltage VDD, and the data reading is performed stably.According to column address signal CA, each of two-to-one selectors 4 b0 and 4 b 1 performs two-to-one selection to select one bit line pairfrom the two bit line pairs, and 2-bit data DO0 and DO1 are read out.

In the data read operation, two-to-one selectors 4 b 0 and 4 b 1 performtwo-to-one selection according to column address signal CA, and writedriver circuits 5 a 0 and 5 a 1 drive in parallel the bit lines in theselected columns according to write data bits DI0 and DI1, respectively.

In this case, discharging is performed in the memory cells connected tothe selected word line (e.g., word line WL3). Among the potentials ondivided VDD source lines VDM0B-VDM3B, the potential of the divided VDDsource lines corresponding to the selected columns lowers (in the datawrite operation, all MOS transistors PT3 in the write assist circuits ofthe selected columns are already in an off state). It is determined thatthe bit line potentials of the divided VDD source lines on theunselected columns are at the H level, and associated MOS transistorsPT3 are conductive to hold the corresponding VDD source line at thelevel of high-side power supply voltage VDD, so that the storage data isstably held.

All the memory cells corresponding to divided VDD source linesVDM0A-VDM3A provided for the unselected word lines are unselected, anddivided VDD source lines VDM0A-VDM3A are in the floating state. However,a path of current flow from the high-side power supply node to thelow-side power supply node is not present in these memory cells, anddivided VDD source lines VDM0A-VDM3A maintain the level of power supplyvoltage VDD.

More specifically, when word line WL is selected and, for example, bitlines BL0 and /BL0 are selected, the voltage level of divided VDD sourceline VDM0B lowers, the write margin of corresponding memory cell MCincreases, and the data is written fast into the memory cell accordingto the write data on bit lines BL0 and /BL0. In this operation, bitlines BL1 and BL1 are unselected, and the bit line load circuit (notshown) causes current to flow through the corresponding memory cell MCto lower the voltage level of one of bit lines BL1 and BL1 from theprecharged voltage level. However, the amount of this potential drop issimilar to that in the data read operation. In write assist circuitPCKb1, the output signal of NAND gate NG1 is at the L level, and MOStransistor PT3 is conductive, so that high-side power supply voltage VDDis stably supplied to the memory cells to hold stably the data.

Operations similar to the above are performed for bit line pairs BL2 and/BL2, and BL3 and /BL3.

In the construction shown in FIG. 10, the VDD source line providedcorresponding to each memory cell column is divided, and the voltagelevel of each divided VDD source line is controlled according to thepotential of the corresponding bit line so that the interconnectioncapacitance of the VDD source line is reduced, and the potential of thedivided VDD source line lowers rapidly in the data write operation.Therefore, fast writing can be performed. After the end of the writing,the potential of the divided VDD source line in the selected column canbe rapidly restored to the level of power supply voltage VDD, and thewrite time can be reduced. The influence of the interconnectionresistance of the divided VDD source line is similar to that in the casewhere one continuous VDD source line is arranged for each column, andwrite assist circuits are arranged on the opposite ends thereof, as inthe first embodiment.

In the construction shown in FIG. 10, the memory cell array has the VDDsource lines each divided into two, and write assist circuitsPCKa0-PCKa3 are arranged in boundary regions of the divided VDD sourcelines. However, such a construction may be employed that write assistcircuits PCKa0-PCKa3 are arranged on the other ends (near the two-to-oneselector) of divided VDD source lines VDM0A-VDM3A, and write assistcircuits PCKa0-PCKa3 and PCKb0-PCKb3 are arranged opposingly on theopposite ends of the memory cell array.

Although the VDD source line in each column is divided into two, it maybe divided into more than two lines. By increasing the number ofdivision of VDD source line, the interconnection length thereof can beshort, and accordingly, the interconnection capacitance can be reducedso that the voltage change can be performed fast, and the writeoperation can be performed fast.

Although the memory cells in two columns are arranged for each data bit,the number of memory cell columns arranged per data bit is notrestricted to two, and can be appropriately determined. The data to beinput/output concurrently may have a larger bit width than the above,and may have a width, e.g., of 8 or 16 bits.

Fourth Embodiment

FIG. 11 shows a construction of a write assist circuit according to afourth embodiment of the invention. FIG. 11 representatively shows aconstruction of a write assist circuit PCK provided for one bit linepair BL and /BL. Arrangements in the memory cell array can be any of theconstructions in the first to third embodiments already described.

Write assist circuit PCK includes a power supply control section VCT forcontrolling the impedance of VDD source line VDM according to thevoltage levels of bit lines BL and /BL, a one-shot pulse producingcircuit 10 for producing a pulse signal of one shot according to a bitline voltage detection signal applied from power supply control sectionVCT, and an N-channel MOS transistor NT1 for driving VDD source line VDMto the low-side power supply voltage (VSS: second power supply voltage)level according to the output signal of one-shot pulse producing circuit10.

Power supply control section VCT includes NAND gate NG1 receivingvoltages on bit lines BL and /BL, and P-channel MOS transistor PT3coupling the VDD supply node to VDD source line VDM according to theoutput signal of NAND gate NG1. Therefore, power supply control sectionVCT corresponds to the construction of the write assist circuits of theforegoing second and third embodiments, and has a similar construction.

One-shot pulse producing circuit 10 includes an inversion delay circuit11 that inverts and delays by a predetermined time the output signal ofNAND gate NG1, and an AND gate AG1 receiving the output signal ofinversion delay circuit 11 and the output signal of NAND gate NG1.One-shot pulse producing circuit 10 produces a one-shot pulse signalhaving a predetermined time width in response to rising of the outputsignal of NAND gate NG1. The H level time period of the one-shot pulsesignal is determined by the delay time of inversion delay circuit 11.

FIG. 12 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation for datawriting of write assist circuit PCK shown in FIG. 11. Referring to FIG.12, description will now be given of an operation of write assistcircuit PCK shown in FIG. 11.

In the data write operation, when the potentials of bit lines BL and /BLchange from the H level to the L level according to the write data, thevoltage level of an output node NDA of NAND gate NG1 changes from the Llevel to the H level. Thereby, one-shot pulse producing circuit 10produces a pulse signal of one shot that is kept at H level for apredetermined period of time. When the output signal of NAND gate NG1attains the H level, MOS transistor PT3 is turned off to isolate VDDsource line VDM from the VDD supply node. At this time, the one-shotpulse signal (signal on a node NDB) produced from one-shot pulseproducing circuit 10 attains the H level, and responsively, MOStransistor NT1 is turned on. VDD source line VDM isolated from the VDDsupply node is coupled to the low-side power supply node to lower thevoltage level thereof.

In the selected memory cell, the data holding characteristics of thestorage nodes (ND1 and ND2: not shown) rapidly lower according to thepotential drop of VDD source line VDM, and potential levels thereofrapidly change according to the potential levels of bit lines BL and/BL. Thereby, the time required for the data writing (the time requiredfor setting storage nodes ND1 and ND2 to the potential levelscorresponding to the write data) can be reduced, and fast writing isachieved.

When the data writing is completed, word line WL is driven to theunselected state, and the column select circuit isolates bit lines BLand /BL from the internal data lines. The bit line load circuit (notshown) restores the voltage levels of bit lines BL and /BL to theoriginal level of the precharge voltage. In this operation, the one-shotpulse signal produced from one-shot pulse producing circuit 10 isalready at the L level, and MOS transistor NT1 is in an off state. Asbit lines BL and /BL return to the precharge potential, the outputsignal of NAND gate NG1 in power supply control section VCT attains theL level so that MOS transistor PT3 returns VDD source line VDM to theoriginal voltage level (VDD level).

As shown in FIG. 11, the voltage level of the VDD source line is driventoward the level of low-side power supply voltage VSS in response to thechange in bit line potential for a predetermined period time, and thevoltage level thereof is forcedly lowered. This can increase the writemargin of the memory cell, and can achieve the fast writing.

The unselected memory cells can stably hold the data even in the datawrite mode, similarly to the first to third embodiments.

Fifth Embodiment

FIG. 13 shows a construction of write assist circuit PCK according to afifth embodiment of the invention. Voltage control circuit PCK shown inFIG. 13 includes a P-channel MOS transistor PT4 for driving VDD sourceline VDM to the second power supply voltage (low-side power supplyvoltage VSS) level when the potentials of bit lines BL and /BL change.One-shot pulse producing circuit 10 controls the on/off state of MOStransistor PT4. One-shot pulse producing circuit 10 produces a pulsesignal of one shot that is kept at L level for a predetermined timeperiod in response to the rising of the output signal of NAND gate NG1included in power supply control section VCT, and provides the pulsesignal to the gate of P-channel MOS transistor PT4. Power supply controlsection VCT has the same construction as power supply control sectionVCT shown in FIG. 11. Corresponding portions are allotted with the samereference numerals, and description thereof is not repeated.

One-shot pulse producing circuit 10 includes inversion delay circuit 11,and an NAND gate NG2 receiving the output signal of inversion delaycircuit 11 and the output signal of NAND gate NG1 of power supplycontrol section VCT. The L level time period of the one-shot pulsesignal produced by one-shot pulse producing circuit 10 is determined bythe delay time of inversion delay circuit 11.

FIG. 14 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation for datawriting of write assist circuit PCK shown in FIG. 13. Referring to FIG.14, description will now be given of the operation of write assistcircuit PCK shown in FIG. 13.

In the data writing, the voltage levels of bit lines BL and /BLcorresponding to the selected column are driven to the H and L levelsaccording to the write data, respectively. According to the potentialchange of bit lines BL and /BL, the signal applied from power supplycontrol section VCT to node NDA rises to the H level, and responsively,the one-shot pulse signal applied from one-shot pulse producing circuit10 to a node NDC is kept at the L level for a predetermined time period.In response to the signal at the L level on node NDC, MOS transistor PT4is turned on to drive VDD source line VDM toward the low-side powersupply voltage. In this operation, MOS transistor PT3 is kept off by theoutput signal of NAND gate NG1, and VDD source line VDM isolated fromthe VDD supply node has the voltage level rapidly lowered. Therefore,the write margin increases similarly to the construction of the writeassist circuit of the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 11, and thepotential levels of the storage nodes (ND1 and ND2) of the selectedmemory cell can be rapidly changed according to the write data.

When bit lines BL and /BL are in the unselected column, or are in thedata read mode, the potentials of bit lines BL and /BL are at the Hlevel, the output signal of NAND gate NG1 is at the L level and MOStransistor PT3 is in an on state. Since the output signal of NAND gateNG1 is fixed at the L level, output node NDC of one-shot pulse producingcircuit 10 maintains the H level, and MOS transistor PT4 maintains theoff state. Therefore, the bit lines on the unselected columns and thebit lines in the data read operation are in such a state that VDD sourceline VDM is reliably supplied with high-side power supply voltage VDD,the static noise margin is ensured and the data is stably held.

FIG. 15 schematically shows sectional structures of MOS transistors PT3and PT4 shown in FIG. 13. MOS transistors PT3 and PT4 are formed in anN-well 20. P-channel MOS transistor PT3 includes P-type impurity regions21 c and 21 d formed at the surface of N-well 20 with a space betweenthem, and a gate electrode 22 b formed on a well region surface betweenimpurity regions 21 c and 21 d with a gate insulating film (not shown)interposed in between.

P-channel MOS transistor PT4 includes P-type impurity regions 21 a and21 b formed separately and distantly at the surface of N-well 20, and agate electrode 22 a formed on a well region surface between impurityregions 21 a and 21 b with a gate insulating film interposed in between.

Impurity region 21 a is coupled to receive low-side power supply voltageVSS, and impurity region 21 d is coupled to receive high-side powersupply voltage VDD. Gate electrodes 22 a and 22 b are coupled to nodesNDC and NDA shown in FIG. 13, respectively. Impurity regions 21 b and 21c are coupled to VDD source line VDM. N-well 20 is biased to the levelof high-side power supply voltage VDD.

Impurity regions 21 b and 21 c may be formed continuously to each other,or an element isolating region may be formed in between.

When node NDA is at the H level of voltage VDD, MOS transistor PT3 is inan off state and isolates the VDD supply node from VDD source line VDM.When node NDC is at the L level, a channel is formed between impurityregions 21 a and 21 c, and VDD source line VDM is coupled to low-sidepower supply voltage VSS.

When the voltage level of VDD source line VDM lowers, a PN junctionbetween impurity region 21 b and N-well 20 attains a deep bias state,and an absolute value of the gate to source voltage of MOS transistorPT4 relatively decreases so that the current driving power lowers, andthe excessive lowering of the voltage level of VDD source line VDM canbe prevented (owing to the back gate bias effect).

Accordingly, such a situation can be prevented that the voltage level ofVDD source line VDM excessively lowers to deteriorate the data retentioncharacteristics of the unselected memory cells, and to destroy the dataheld in the memory cells on the selected column and unselected row.

According to the fifth embodiment of the invention, as described above,the P-channel MOS transistor is used for the VDD source line to lowerforcedly the potential level of the VDD source line in the floatingstate when the bit line potential changes. Accordingly, the voltagelevel of the VDD source line in the selected column lowers fast, theexcessive lowering of the voltage level can be prevented, and it ispossible to prevent destruction of the data held in the memory cells onthe selected column and unselected rows. Also, excessive lowering of theVDD source line voltage can be prevented so that the VDD source line canrapidly return to the original voltage level after the completion of thewrite operation.

Sixth Embodiment

FIG. 16 shows a construction of write assist circuit PCK according to asixth embodiment of the invention. In write assist circuit PCK shown inFIG. 16, a diode-connected P-channel MOS transistor PT5 is connected toVDD source line VDM. Diode-connected P-channel MOS transistor PT5 has agate and a drain connected to VDD source line VDM, and has a sourcecoupled to a VDD supply node.

Power supply control section VCT has the same construction as the writeassist circuits of the first to fifth embodiments, and includes NANDgate NG1 receiving the voltages on bit lines BL and /BL as well asP-channel MOS transistor PT3 selectively isolating VDD source line VDMfrom the VDD supply node according to the output signal of NAND gateNG1.

FIG. 17 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation for datawriting of write assist circuit PCK shown in FIG. 16. Referring to FIG.17, description will now be given of operations of write assist circuitPCK shown in FIG. 16.

In the data write operation, the voltage levels of bit lines BL and /BLin the selected column change to H and L levels according to the writedata. According to the potential drop of one of bit lines BL and /BL,the output signal of NAND gate NG1 attains the H level to turn off MOStransistor PT3. When word line WL is driven to the selected state, acurrent flows through the selected memory cell, and the voltage level ofVDD source line VDM lowers. MOS transistor PT5 is turned off when VDDsource line VDM is at the level of voltage equal to or higher than(VDD−Vtp), where Vtp is an absolute value of the threshold voltage ofMOS transistor PT5.

When VDD source line VDM is at the level of voltage lower than(VDD−Vtp), MOS transistor PT5 is turned on to couple VDD source line VDMto the VDD supply node, and prevents the potential lowering of VDDsource line VDM. Therefore, the voltage level of VDD source line VDM isclamped at the level of (VDD−Vtp).

The operation of power supply control section VCT is the same as thoseof the constructions of the first to sixth embodiments. However, clamptransistor PT5 can prevent excessive drop of the voltage level of VDDsource line VDM in the selected column, and can suppress deteriorationof the data holding characteristics of the memory cells on the selectedcolumn and unselected rows, so that the destruction of the held data canbe prevented.

The voltage level clamping element for VDD source line VDM may be formedof another element such as a PN-diode.

According to the sixth embodiment of the invention, as described above,voltage clamp means is employed for suppressing the lowering of thevoltage level of the VDD source line, and it is possible to preventdestruction of the data held in the memory cells on the selected columnand unselected row (because excessive lowering of the high-side powersupply voltage can be prevented and accordingly, the lowering of thedata holding characteristics can be suppressed).

Seventh Embodiment

FIG. 18 shows a construction of write assist circuit PCK according to aseventh embodiment of the invention. Write assist circuit PCK shown inFIG. 18 differs in the following constructions from the write assistcircuit shown in FIG. 16. Power supply control section VCT includes anNAND gate NG3 receiving a redundant signal CRD and the voltages on bitlines BL and /BL in place of NAND gate NG1 receiving the voltages on bitlines BL and /BL. MOS transistor PT3 selectively couples the VDD supplynode to VDD source line VDM according to the output signal of this NANDgate NG3.

Redundant signal CRD designates a defective column in the memory cellarray. The bit lines in the faulty or defective column are normally keptin the unselected state, and the address of the defective column isreplaced by a spare bit line pair. By replacing the bit lines on thefaulty column with the spare bit line pair, it becomes possible to usethe address of the faulty column to repair the faulty column.

In power supply control circuit PCK shown in FIG. 18, a P-channel MOStransistor PT6 that is selectively turned on in accordance with theoutput signal of inverter IV3 is connected between diode-connectedP-channel MOS transistor PT5 and the VDD supply node. Inverter IV3receives redundant signal CRD.

In the construction of write assist circuit PCK shown in FIG. 18, VDDsource lines VDM are arranged corresponding to the memory cell columnsfor controlling the voltage levels of the columns, respectively, andfurther the power supplying is controlled for the faulty column in thefaulty column repairing. Specifically, redundant signal CRD for thefaulty column is set to the L level, and the output signal of NAND gateNG3 is fixed at the H level so that MOS transistor PT3 is normally setin the off state. Also, the output signal of inverter IV3 is at the Hlevel, and the MOS transistor PT6 is normally in an off state so thatthe current path between the VDD supply node and MOS transistor PT5 iscut off. For the faulty column, therefore, VDD source line VDM iscompletely isolated from the VDD supply node, and a path of a leakagecurrent due to the faulty memory cell on the faulty column is cut off sothat the power consumption is made small.

For the normal column not containing such faulty memory cell, redundantsignal CRD is set to the H level. In this case, the logical level ofoutput signal of NAND gate NG3 depends on the potentials of bit lines BLand /BL, the output signal of inverter IV3 is fixed at the L level, andMOS transistor PT6 is turned on. In this case, therefore, operationssimilar to those of write assist circuit PCK shown in FIG. 16 isimplemented.

FIG. 19 schematically shows a construction of a main portion of asemiconductor memory device according to a seventh embodiment of theinvention. In FIG. 19, a memory cell array includes a normal memory cellarray 1 n having normal memory cells MC arranged in rows and columns,and a spare memory cell array 1 s having spare memory cells SMC forrepairing a faulty column.

In the redundancy replacement repairing, the faulty column may berepaired in a so-called shift redundancy manner, in which thecorrespondence between the bit lines and the column decoder outputs isshifted except the faulty column. However, for representing therepairing of the faulty column, FIG. 19 shows a construction ofrepairing the faulty column by merely replacing the faulty column innormal memory cell array with the spare bit line pair.

For normal memory cell array 1 n, there is provided bit line pairs BLP,VDD source lines VDM corresponding to respective bit line pairs BLP andwrite assist circuits PCK corresponding to respective VDD source linesVDM. In spare memory cell array 1 s, a spare bit line pair SBLP isarranged corresponding to spare memory cell column SMC, and a spare VDDsource line SVDM is arranged corresponding to spare bit line pair SBLP.The number of spare bit line pairs SBLP in spare memory cell array 1 sis determined depending on the number of faulty columns to be repaired.

The column select circuit includes a regular column select circuit 4 narranged for regular memory cell array 1 n, and a redundant columnselect circuit 4 s arranged corresponding to memory cell array 1 s.

A redundant column replacement control circuit 20 is arranged forcontrolling the operations of normal and redundant column selectcircuits 4 n and 4 s. Redundant column replacement control circuit 20includes a program circuit storing a faulty column address specifying afaulty column, and produces a normal column select enable signal NE anda spare column select enable signal NEZ according tocoincidence/non-coincidence between column address signal CA and theprogrammed faulty column address.

When the selected column in the designated address is non-defective,redundant column replacement control circuit 20 activates normalselection enable signal NE, and normal column select circuit 4 n selectsbit line pair BLP corresponding to the column in the designated address.Redundant column select circuit 4 s is inactive, and the spare column iskept in the unselected state. When column address signal CA designatesthe faulty column, redundant column replacement control circuit 20activates faulty spare column replacement enable signal NEZ, andredundant column select circuit 4 s selects corresponding spare bit linepair SBLP employed for the redundancy replacement. In this case, normalcolumn select circuit 4 n stops the column select operation (signal NEis inactive).

For write assist circuits PCK, there is arranged a cell power supplycontrol unit 22 for controlling enabling/disabling of each of writeassist circuits PCK on a column-by-column basis. Cell power supplycontrol unit 22 operates according to faulty column information toproduce redundant signal CRD for corresponding write assist circuit PCK.

FIG. 20 shows an example of a construction of a circuit producing theredundant signal for the VDD source line in one column included in powersupply control unit 22 shown in FIG. 19. In FIG. 20, the redundantsignal producing unit includes a link element FL which is connectedbetween the high-side power supply node and an internal node ND10, andcan be blown, a highly resistive resistance element Z having an endconnected to internal node ND10, an inverter IV10 inverting a voltagesignal on internal node ND10, an inverter IV11 inverting the outputsignal of inverter IV10 to produce redundant signal CRD, an N-channelMOS transistor NT10 which is connected between highly resistiveresistance element Z and the low-side power supply node, and has a gatereceiving the output signal of inverter IV10, and an N-channel MOStransistor NT11 which is connected between highly resistive resistanceelement Z and the low-side power supply node, and has a gate receiving areset signal RST.

Upon system resetting or system power up, reset signal RST attains Hlevel and is kept at H level for a predetermined time period. Linkelement FL for the faulty column is blown off.

When link element FL is blown, node ND is isolated from the high-sidepower supply node (VDD). When MOS transistor NT11 is turned on accordingto reset signal RST, internal node ND10 is driven to the voltage levelof the low-side power supply node through highly resistive resistanceelement Z. Thereby, the output signal of inverter IV10 attains the Hlevel to turn on MOS transistor NT10. Even when reset signal RST attainsthe L level to turn off MOS transistor NT11, node ND10 is maintained atthe level of the voltage on the low-side power supply node by highlyresistive resistance element Z and MOS transistor NT10. In this state,inverter IV11 fixes redundant signal CRD at the L level to stop thecontrol of power supplying of the VDD source line to the faulty column,and the corresponding VDD source line is normally kept in the floatingstate.

When link element FL is not blown, internal node ND10 is coupled to thehigh-side power supply node (VDD). Even when MOS transistor NT11 isturned on according to reset signal RST, node ND10 maintains the H levelof voltage VDD owing to the resistance value of highly resistiveresistance element Z. Therefore, the output signal of inverter IV10 isat the L level, and MOS transistor NT10 is off. Therefore, internal nodeND10 is maintained at the level of voltage VDD after reset signal RSTattains the L level, and accordingly, redundant signal CRD is maintainedat the H level. MOS transistor NT10 is kept off by the output signal ofinverter IV10, and the path of the through current is cut off in theredundant signal producing section.

As the construction of cell power supply unit 22, the power supplycontrol unit is shown as replacing a faulty column with the sparecolumn. However, the faulty column may be repaired according to theshift redundancy scheme. For repairing the faulty column in the shiftredundancy scheme, a propagation path to the column select gate of thecolumn select signal applied from the column decoder is switched. Cellpower supply control unit 22 may produce redundant signal CRD by using asignal for instructing such path switching. Specifically, where thereare two propagation paths for a column select gate of each column selectsignal, and one of the signal propagation paths is to be used, the pathsare switched such that the column select signal is not propagated to thecolumn select gate for the faulty column. Consequently, the propagationpath of the column select signal is switched in the faulty column, thesignal setting the column select signal propagation path for theadjacent column differs in logical level from the signal setting thepropagation path of the column select signal for the faulty column.Therefore, the redundant signal can be produced for each column byutilizing, in each column, a gate circuit for determining whether thesignals of setting the propagation paths of the column select signals ina pair of adjacent columns are the same in logic level.

As described above, according to the seventh embodiment of theinvention, the power supply control is stopped on the VDD source linefor the faulty column, and the corresponding VDD source line is forcedinto the floating state. Thus, the leakage current due to a memory cellin the faulty column can be prevented from flowing, and therefore thecurrent consumption can be reduced.

Eighth Embodiment

FIG. 21 shows a construction of write assist circuit PCK according to aneighth embodiment of the invention. Write assist circuit PCK shown inFIG. 21 includes an inverter IV13 receiving the output signal of NANDgate NG1 of power supply control section VCT, and a P-channel MOStransistor PT13 coupling VDD source line VDM to an intermediate voltagesupply node according to an output signal of inverter IV13. Power supplycontrol section VCT includes NAND gate NG1 and P-channel MOS transistorPT3, similarly to the first to seventh embodiments already described.MOS transistor PT3 is coupled to the node (VDD supply node) receiving anordinary power supply voltage VDD1. MOS transistor PT13 is coupled to anintermediate voltage node receiving a voltage VDD2 lower than thisordinary power supply voltage VDD1.

FIG. 22 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation forwriting of write assist circuit PCK shown in FIG. 21. Referring to FIG.22, description will now be given of the operations for data writing ofwrite assist circuit PCK shown in FIG. 21.

In the data writing, bit lines BL and /BL are supplied with the voltagescorresponding to the write data, and the voltages on these bit lines aredriven to the H and L levels. Thereby, in power supply control sectionVCT, the output signal of NAND gate NG1 attains the H level, and MOStransistor PT3 is turned off to isolate VDD source line VDM from thenode supplying voltage VDD1. Meanwhile, the output signal of inverterIV13 attains the L level to turn on MOS transistor PT13, and VDD sourceline VDM receives intermediate voltage VDD2. This voltage VDD2 is lowerthan the voltage VDD1 at the ordinary power supply voltage level. In thedata write operation, the voltage level of VDD source line VDM isreliably lowered, the write margin of the memory cell can be reliablyincreased and the data can be written fast.

In this case, the voltage VDD2 is generated from the circuit forproducing intermediate voltage VDD2, and VDD source line VDM can be setto a desired voltage level without receiving an influence of variationsin threshold voltage caused due to transistor parameters, as in theconstruction of using a diode-connected MOS transistor. Thus, it ispossible to set reliably the large static noise margin for the memorycells on the unselected columns and the selected row, and the held datacan be reliably prevented from destruction.

FIG. 23 schematically shows a construction of a power supply voltagegenerating section for generating two voltages VDD1 and VDD2 shown inFIG. 21. In FIG. 23, the power supply voltage generating sectionincludes a power supply circuit 25 that receives externally suppliedpower supply voltage VDD, and effects stabilization processing such asnoise removal on it to produce cell power supply voltage VDD1, and avoltage down converter 26 for down-converting an output voltage VDD1 ofpower supply circuit 25 to produce intermediate voltage VDD2.

Power supply circuit 25 simply performs the filtering processing such asnoise removal, to produce cell power supply voltage VDD1 at the samevoltage level as the externally supplied power supply voltage VDD. Asfor voltage down converter 26, intermediate voltage VDD2 may be producedwith a circuit construction for converting an output current of areference current generating circuit to a voltage. Alternatively, afeedback controlled internal voltage down converter (VDC) generallyemployed in a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) may be used, in whicha voltage corresponding to intermediate voltage VDD2 is compared withthe reference voltage, and a current is supplied from the power supplynode to VDD2 power supply line according to the result of comparison.

By utilizing the power supply voltage generating circuit shown in FIG.23, cell power supply voltage VDD1 and intermediate voltage VDD2 stablyat desired voltage levels can be produced from externally supplied powersupply voltage VDD.

According to the eighth embodiment of the invention, the VDD source linevoltage is switched, according to the bit line voltage, between ordinarypower supply voltage VDD1 and the lower intermediate voltage VDD2, andthe VDD source line voltage for a selected column can be reliably set ata desired voltage level in the data writing, so that the data can bewritten stably and fast.

Through the use of the intermediate voltage, the VDD source line voltagein the selected column can be set to a desired voltage level, and it ispossible to prevent deterioration of the data holding characteristics ofunselected memory cells and to prevent destruction of the data held inthe unselected memory cells.

Ninth Embodiment

FIG. 24 shows a construction of a main portion of a semiconductor memorydevice according to a ninth embodiment of the invention. FIG. 24 shows aconstruction of a write assist circuit for memory cells MC aligned inone column. Memory cells MC are arranged in four rows and one column,and word lines WL0-WL3 are arranged corresponding to the respectiverows. Bit lines BL and /BL are arranged corresponding to the memory cellcolumn. For each memory cell column, VDD source line VDM is arranged,similarly to the first to eighth embodiments. Further, a dummy VSSsource line DVSM is arranged extending in parallel to VDD source lineVDM and corresponding to each memory cell column. A VSS source linesupplying low-side power supply voltage VSS to the memory cells are alsoarranged separately from the dummy source lines, although not shown inthe figure.

Write assist circuits PCKa and PCKb are arranged opposingly at theopposite ends of VDD source line VDM and dummy VSS source line DVSM,precharge dummy VSS source line DVSM and adjust the voltage level of VDDsource line by coupling selectively VDD source line VDM and dummy VSSsource line DVSM to utilize accumulated charges on the dummy VSS sourceline.

Write assist circuits PCKa and PCKb have the same construction, andcorresponding portions are allotted with the same reference numerals.Each of write assist circuits PCKa and PCKb includes power supplycontrol section VCT for isolating VDD source line VDM from the VDDsupply node according to the change in voltage levels of bit lines BLand /BL, an inverter IV15 for inverting the output signal of NAND gateNG1 included in power supply control section VCT, a transmission gate TXfor selectively connecting VDD source line VDM to dummy VSS source lineDVSM according to the output signals of NAND gate NG1 and inverter IV15,and an N-channel MOS transistor NT15 for coupling dummy VSS source lineDVSM to the low-side power supply node (VSS supply node) according to anoutput signal of inverter IV15.

Transmission gate TX is configured of a CMOS transmission gate formed ofa parallel connection of P- and N-channel MOS transistors, and transmitsa voltage signal without causing a loss of threshold voltage.

FIG. 25 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation in datawriting of the write assist circuit shown in FIG. 24. Referring to FIG.25, description will now be given of operations of write assist circuitsPCKa and PCKb shown in FIG. 24.

In the standby state and data reading, the voltage levels of bit linesBL and /BL are logical high level, and the output signal of NAND gateNG1 (potential at node NDA) is L level. Thus, MOS transistors PT3 andNT15 are in an on state, and transmission gate TX is nonconductive.Therefore, VDD source line VDM is maintained at the level of high-sidepower supply voltage VDD, and dummy VSS source line DVSM is maintainedat the level of the low-side power supply voltage (VSS).

When the data writing starts and the write data is transmitted to bitlines BL and /BL on the selected column, the voltage levels on bit linesBL and /BL change according to the write data. According to thepotential changes of bit lines BL and /BL, the output signal of NANDgate NG1 (voltage on node NDA) attains the H level in power supplycontrol section VCT. Responsively, MOS transistors PT3 and NT15 areturned off. In contrast, transmission gate TX is turned on toelectrically couple VDD source line VDM to dummy VSS source line DVSM.These VDD source line VDM and dummy VSS source line DVSM are in thefloating state, and accumulated charges move between dummy VSS sourceline DVSM and VDD source line VDM. Assuming that VDD source line VDM hasa capacitance of Cd, and dummy VSS source line DVSM has a capacitance ofCs, the potentials V of source lines VDM and DVSM attained after theturn-on of transmission gate TX is at the level determined by acapacitance ratio of Cs/Dc, as expressed by the following equation:

V=Cd·VDD/(Cd+Cs),

where it is assumed that low-side power supply voltage VSS is the groundvoltage (0 V). For example, when it is designed that the capacitanceratio (Cd:Cs) is 10:1, the potential of VDD source line is at the levelincreased by 10/11 times through equalizing by transmission gate TX, andthus lowers by about 10%. Thereby, the voltage level of high-side powersupply node lowers to increase the write margin for a selected memorycell MC, so that the storage data of the memory cell can be readilyinverted, the write time can be reduced and the writing can be reliablyperformed.

In an unselected memory cell, the voltage level of the storage nodechanges to the extent, at most, similar to that in the read operation,and the storage data can be stably held.

In the operation of re-distributing the charges, the voltage level ofVDD source line VDM lowers more rapidly than the case where the voltagelevel of the VDD source line lowers through discharging by writing intothe memory cell, and the faster write can be achieved.

When the bit line load circuit (not shown) returns bit lines BL and /BLto the original H level of voltage VDD after the completion of writing,the output signal of NAND gate NG1 attains the L level, andresponsively, transmission gate TX turns non-conductive, so that MOStransistors PT3 and NT15 are turned on. Accordingly, VDD source line VDMand dummy VSS source line DVSM return to the levels of high-side powersupply voltage VDD and low-side power supply voltage VSS, respectively.

This dummy VSS source line DVSM is laid at the same or differentinterconnection layer that is the same as or different from VDD sourceline VDM, using an interconnection line extending over memory cells MC.Thus, VDD source line VDM and dummy VSS source line DVSM can be arrangedin each column. Also, VDD source line VDM ad dummy VSS source line DVSMcan have the same interconnection length even when the rows of memorycells increase in number. Thereby, the capacitance ratio of Cusecs canbe kept constant. Accordingly, even when the rows and/or columns in thememory cell array change in number, it is merely required to extend VDDsource line VDM and dummy VSS source line DVSM linearly in the columndirection, and it is not necessary to redesign the interconnectionlayout. In addition, it is not necessary to change the layout of thememory cell array. The write assist circuits of the same layout can beutilized, and it is possible to suppress increase in area of the cellpower supply control unit when the memory cell array configurationchanges (only the number of the write assist circuits is changedaccording to the number of columns, and it is not necessary to changethe configuration of the write assist circuit even when the number ofthe memory cells in the column direction changes).

As for the interconnection capacitance ratio between VDD source line VDMand dummy VSS source line DVSM, high-side power supply node VH of memorycell MC is connected to VDD source line VDM, and a parasitic capacitancethereof is present. The capacitance ratio between VDD source line VDMand dummy VSS source line DVSM is determined taking the parasiticcapacitance of high-side power supply node VH into account. Thereby,even when the lengths of VDD source line VDM and dummy VSS source lineDVSM increase in the column direction, the interconnection capacitanceratio with the parasitic capacitance taken into account is likewiseunchanged.

According to the ninth embodiment of the invention, as described above,the dummy VSS source line and VSS source line are set to the floatingstate according to the bit line voltage and are electricallyshort-circuited in the data write operation, so that it is possible tolower rapidly the voltage level of VDD source line and to increase thewrite margin of the selected memory cell, and accordingly, the data canbe written fast.

Tenth Embodiment

FIG. 26 shows a construction of a memory cell circuit according to atenth embodiment of the invention. FIG. 26 shows a construction of thewrite assist circuit for the memory cells arranged in one column. InFIG. 26, memory cells MC are arranged in four rows and one column, andword lines WL0-WL3 are arranged corresponding to the respective rows.Bit lines BL and /BL are arranged corresponding to each memory cellcolumn, and are coupled to column select gate CSG and bit line loadcircuit 9. The construction described above is the same as those of thefirst to ninth embodiments already described, and is substantially thesame in arrangement as the conventional memory cell array.

A VSS source line VSM transmitting low-side power supply voltage VSS isarranged corresponding to the memory cell column. In this tenthembodiment, VSS source lines VSM are used as cell power supply linesPVL0-PVLn. The voltage level (impedance) of VSS source line VSM iscontrolled according to the voltage levels of bit lines BL and /BL inthe corresponding column.

Write assist circuits PCKc and PCKd are arranged on the opposite ends ofVSS source line VSM. Write assist circuits PCKc and PCKd have the sameconstruction, and each include N-channel MOS transistors NT20 and NT21connected in series between the low-side power supply node and VSSsource line VSM. Gates of MOS transistors NT20 and NT21 are connected tobit lines BL and /BL on the corresponding column, respectively.

VSS source line VSM is arranged in an isolated manner for each column.

FIG. 27 schematically shows internal connections of memory cell MC shownin FIG. 26. As shown in FIG. 27, the source-side nodes of drivertransistors NQ1 and NQ2, or low-side power supply nodes VL are commonlycoupled to VSS source line VSM. The source nodes of load transistors PQ1and PQ2, or high-side power supply nodes VH are normally supplied withpower supply voltage VDD. Storage nodes ND1 and ND2 are coupled to bitlines BL and /BL via access transistors NQ3 and NQ4, respectively.

FIG. 28 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation of thememory cell circuit shown in FIG. 26. Referring to FIG. 28, descriptionwill now be given of the operation of the memory cell circuit shown inFIGS. 26 and 27.

In the data reading, word line WL is driven to the selected state, andaccess transistors NQ3 and NQ4 in memory cell MC are turned on.Accordingly, storage nodes ND1 and ND2 are coupled to bit lines BL and/BL, respectively, and the potential levels of bit lines BL and /BLchange according to the data held at storage nodes ND1 and ND2. In thisoperation, however, the potential changes of bit lines BL and /BL aresmall owing to the column current supplied from bit line load circuit 9,and the voltage levels of bit lines BL and /BL are sufficiently higherthan threshold voltage Vth of MOS transistors NT20 and NT21. Therefore,both MOS transistors NT20 and NT21 are conductive, and VSS source lineVSM is coupled to the low-side power supply node, and is stablymaintained at the level of low-side power supply voltage VSS. Therefore,even when the voltage levels of storage nodes ND1 and ND2 rise accordingto the column current, the noise margin is sufficiently large, andmemory cell MC stably holds the data.

In this data read operation, for each of the selected memory cells andunselected memory cells, low-side power supply voltage VSM is stablymaintained at the level of low-side power supply voltage VSS, andhigh-side power supply node VH is coupled to high-side power supplyvoltage VDD so that the static noise margin is sufficiently ensured, andthe storage data is stably held.

In the data write operation, the voltage levels of bit lines BL and /BLchange according to the write data. In this operation, when the bit linedriven to the L level lowers to a voltage level lower than thresholdvoltage Vth of MOS transistor NT20 or NT21, MOS transistor NT20 or NT21is turned off, so that VSS source line VSM is isolated from the low-sidepower supply node and enters the floating state. It is now assumed thatthe data at the logical level opposite to that of the storage data iswritten in the data writing operation. When word line WL is driven tothe selected state, and responsively, access transistors NQ3 and NQ4 areturned on, currents flow between bit lines BL and /BL and storage nodesND1 and ND2, respectively, and the voltage levels of storage nodes ND1and ND2 change. Then, the voltage levels of the storage nodes changeaccording to the β-ratio between access transistors NQ3 and NQ4 anddriver transistors NQ1 and NQ2 (according to latching capability of theinverter latch). When the voltages change as described above, by thethrough current flowing from high-side power supply node VH to low-sidepower supply node VL in memory cell MC and the write current flowingfrom the bit line, the current flows into low-side power supply node VLin memory cell MC, and the voltage level of VSS source line VSM rises.

When the voltage level of VSS source line VSM rises, the write margin ofmemory cell MC increases, and the voltage levels of storage nodes ND1and ND2 rapidly changes according to the write data on bit lines BL and/BL so that the data can be written correctly.

When the voltage levels of storage nodes ND1 and ND2 are driven to thelevels of high- and low-side power supply voltages VDD and VSS,respectively, the flowing path of the through current is cut off inmemory cell MC, and the rising of the voltage level of VSS source lineVSM stops.

When the writing of the data into the memory cell is completed, columnselect gate CSG isolates bit lines BL and /BL from the internal dataline, and bit line load circuit 9 drives them to the level of high-sidepower supply voltage VDD. According to the potential rising of bit linesBL and /BL, MOS transistor NT20 or NT21 changes from the off state tothe on state, and couples VSS source line VSM to the low-side powersupply node, and the voltage level thereof returns to the level oflow-side power supply voltage VSS.

In memory cell MC on a selected row and a selected column, thecorresponding word line is in the selected state and accordingly, bitlines BL and /BL are coupled to storage nodes ND1 and ND2, respectively.However, the write data is not transmitted to the associated bit lines,and bit lines BL and /BL are held at the voltage level precharged by bitline load circuit 9 so that only a minute potential change similar tothat in the data reading occurs on the corresponding bit lines, and eachmemory cell on the unselected column and the selected row stably holdsthe storage data (because the low-side power supply voltage of VSSsource line VSM is maintained at the VSS level).

According to the tenth embodiment of the invention, as described above,the data holding characteristics of the selected memory cell in thewrite operation can be lowered to perform fast writing even in such aconstruction that the VSS source line is used as memory cell powersupply line PVL, and low-side cell power supply voltage VSS iscontrolled according to the bit line voltage during the data writeoperation.

Eleventh Embodiment

FIG. 29 shows a construction of a memory cell circuit according to aneleventh embodiment of the invention. The memory cell circuit shown inFIG. 29 differs from the memory cell circuit shown in FIG. 26 in thefollowing constructions. In each of write assist circuits PCKc and PCKd,there is provided an AND gate AG10 receiving the voltages on bit linesBL and /BL, and an N-channel MOS transistor NT22 receiving the outputsignal of AND gate AG10. MOS transistor NT22 is coupled between thelow-side power supply node and VSS source line VSM, and is madeconductive to couple the low-side power supply node to VSS source lineVSM.

Other constructions of the memory cell circuit shown in FIG. 29 are thesame as those of the memory cell circuit shown in FIG. 26. Correspondingportions are allotted with the same reference numerals, and descriptionthereof is not repeated.

The memory cell construction shown in FIG. 29 operates substantially inthe same manner as the memory cell circuit of the tenth embodiment. Inthe data write operation, however, when one of bit lines BL and /BLlowers below the input logical threshold of AND gate AG10, the outputsignal of AND gate AG10 attains the L level, and thereby MOS transistorNT22 is turned off. Responsively, VSS source line VSM enters thefloating state, and the voltage level thereof rises due to the writecurrent and through current in the selected memory cell, so that thewrite margin of the selected memory cell increases, and fast writing isachieved.

In each memory cell on the selected row and an unselected column,storage nodes (ND1 and ND2) are connected to the corresponding bitlines, but bit lines BL and /BL have the voltage levels lower onlyslightly than the level of voltage that is precharged by bit line loadcircuit 9, and higher than the input logical threshold of AND gate AG10,so that the memory cell stably holds the storage data.

In each memory cell on an unselected row and the selected column, thestorage nodes (ND1 and ND2) are isolated from the corresponding bitlines BL and /BL, and a path of current flow does not exist, so that thevoltage levels of the storage nodes are stably maintained.

Accordingly, the construction shown in FIG. 29 achieve fast data writingwithout destroying the storage data of unselected memory cells, and canstably hold the held data in reading the held data, as is done in thepreceding embodiments already described.

In each of write assist circuits PCKc and PCKd shown in FIG. 29, onlyone MOS transistor is arranged between the low-side power supply nodeand VSS source line VSM, and therefore the interconnection resistance ofVSS source line VSM can be further reduced so that the column current inthe memory cell data reading operation can be rapidly discharged tolow-side power supply node VSS via the memory cell, and the fast readingcan be achieved.

In the construction shown in FIG. 29, VSS source line VSM may likewisebe divided into portions each corresponding to a predetermined number ofrows of memory cells in the memory cell column, and the write assistcircuit may be arranged for each divided line.

According to the eleventh embodiment of the invention, as describedabove, the AND gate receives the bit line voltage, and the correspondingVSS source line is selectively coupled to the low-side power supply nodeaccording to the output signal of that AND gate. Therefore, the stablereading and fast writing of the data of memory cell can be achieved. Inaddition, the interconnection resistance of the VSS source line isequivalently reduced so that the fast reading can be performed.

For the construction of controlling the voltage level of the VSS sourceline, the constructions can be utilized, such as the foregoingconstruction of controlling the voltage level of the VDD source line,the construction of clamping or maintaining it at a specific powersupply voltage, the construction of coupling it to another voltagesupply. For example, a clamping element formed of diode-connected MOStransistor may be arranged between the VSS source line and the groundnode, and thereby it is possible to suppress the rising of the voltagelevel of VSS source line VSM to the level equal to or higher than thethreshold voltage of the diode-connected MOS transistor. Also, a dummyVDD source line may be used and coupled selectively to the VSS sourceline in the data write operation, whereby the voltage level of the VSSsource line can be raised. Further, the VSS source line may be coupledto the power supply node that supplies a predetermined intermediatevoltage to the selected column in the data write operation, whereby theVSS source line can be stably set to the desired voltage level in theselected column, and fast writing can be stably performed.

Twelfth Embodiment

FIG. 30 schematically shows a construction of a main portion of asemiconductor memory device according to a twelfth embodiment of theinvention. In a semiconductor memory device shown in FIG. 30, P- andN-wells are arranged in a substrate region 30 of the memory cell arraysuch that each P-well is sandwiched between the N-wells. P-well PW aswell as N-wells NW1 and NW2 on the opposite sides of P-well PW provide amemory cell column formation region MFR in which memory cells MC alignedin one column are arranged.

In memory cell column formation region MFR, N-channel MOS transistors ofthe memory cells are formed in P-well PW, and P-channel MOS transistorsforming the load transistors are formed in the N-wells.

Bit lines BL and /BL are arranged corresponding to memory cell columnformation region MFR. Also, write assist circuit PCK is arrangedcorresponding to memory cell column formation region MFR. This writeassist circuit PCK adjusts the potential of corresponding P-well PW inaccordance with the potentials of corresponding bit lines BL and /BL.Thus, write assist circuit PCK in the twelfth embodiment adjusts theback gate potential of the N-channel MOS transistors in a memory cellaccording to the voltages on bit lines BL and /BL. Therefore, eachP-well PW is supplied with a back gate voltage VSB individually fromwrite assist circuit PCK.

FIG. 31 schematically shows an arrangement of memory cell MC shown inFIG. 30. P-well PW is arranged in a central portion of memory cell MC,and N-wells NW1 and NW2 are arranged on the opposite sides of P-well PW,respectively. In memory cell MC, N-channel MOS transistor NQ1 isarranged between low-side power supply node VL and storage node ND1, andN-channel MOS transistor NQ3 is arranged between storage node ND1 andbit line BL. N-channel MOS transistor NQ2 is arranged between low-sidepower supply node VL and storage node ND2, and N-channel MOS transistorNQ4 is arranged between storage node ND2 and bit line /BL. The gates ofMOS transistors NQ1 and NQ2 are coupled to storage nodes ND2 and ND1,respectively, and word line WL is connected to the gates of MOStransistors NQ3 and NQ4.

These MOS transistors NQ1-NQ4 are formed within P-well PW, and arecommonly supplied at their back gates with a substrate voltage VSB fromthe corresponding write assist circuit.

In memory cell MC, P-channel MOS transistors PQ1 and PQ2 are arranged atN-wells NW1 and NW2, respectively. MOS transistor PQ1 is connectedbetween high-side power supply node VH and storage node ND1, and has agate connected to storage node ND2. MOS transistor PQ2 is connectedbetween high-side power supply node VII and storage node ND2, and has agate coupled to storage node ND1. Although not specifically shown, thebias voltages of corresponding N-wells NW1 and NW2 bias the back gatesof MOS transistors PQ1 and PQ2, respectively. N-wells NW1 and NW2 areshared between the regions forming the load transistors of the memorycells in the adjacent columns.

FIG. 31 merely shows, by way of example, the arrangement of the memorycells, and such arrangement may be employed that for each memory cellcolumn, an in a central portion, an N-well is arranged at a centralportion for forming a load transistor, and on the opposite sides of theN-well, P-wells are formed for forming access and driver transistors forbit lines BL and /BL. In this arrangement, for isolating the wellregions of the memory cells in the adjacent columns from each other, anappropriate isolating structure such as junction isolation is employedfor isolating P-well in each column from that on the other column.

FIG. 32 shows by way of example a construction of write assist circuitPCK shown in FIG. 30 and a construction of a circuit for generating awell bias voltage VSB. In FIG. 32, write assist circuit PCK includes anAND gate AG30 that receives voltages on bit lines BL and /BL, anN-channel MOS transistor NT30 that is connected between the low-sidepower supply node and a well bias voltage transmission line SBL and isselectively made conductive in response to the output signal of AND gateAG30, an inverter IV30 that receives the output signal of AND gate AG30,and an N-channel MOS transistor N32 that is selectively made conductiveaccording to the output signal of inverter IV30, to transmit the biasvoltage of bias voltage generating circuit 30.

Bias voltage generating circuit 30 includes a highly resistiveresistance element 31 connected between the high-side power supply nodeand node NDI, and an N-channel MOS transistor 32 connected between nodeNDI and the low-side power supply node and having a gate connected tonode NDI. MOS transistor 32 operates in a diode mode to produce thevoltage of threshold voltage Vthn on node NDI. Threshold voltage Vthn ofMOS transistor 32 is at a level higher level than low-side power supplyvoltage VSS, and is lower than a forward voltage drop Vf of a PNjunction between P-well PW and the N-type impurity region of N-channelMOS transistor.

FIG. 33 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation of thewrite assist circuit shown in FIGS. 30-32. Referring to FIG. 33,description will now be given of the operation of the circuit shown inFIGS. 30-32.

Bit lines BL and /BL is already precharged to the H level by a bit lineload circuit (not shown). In the data read operation, the potentialamplitudes of bit lines BL and /BL in the selected column are small, thevoltage levels thereof are higher than the input logical threshold ofAND gate AG30, and AND gate AG30 outputs a signal at the H level.Accordingly, an MOS transistor NT30 is conductive, and an MOS transistorNT32 is in an off state, so that bias voltage VSB on P-wells PW (PW1 andPW2) is maintained at the level of low-side power supply voltage VSS,and the data is read stably.

In the data write operation, when the voltage levels of bit lines BL and/BL change according to the write data, the output signal of AND gateAG30 falls from the H level to the L level according to the potentialdrop of one of bit lines BL and /BL. Responsively, MOS transistor NT30is turned off, and MOS transistor NT32 is turned on, and the biasvoltage generated by bias voltage generating circuit 30 is transmittedas well bias voltage VSB to well bias voltage transmission line SBL. Thevoltage (Vthn) generated by bias voltage generating circuit 30 is higherthan low-side power supply voltage VSS. Therefore, the source to backgate of each of MOS transistors NQ1-NQ4 is forward-biased, and thethreshold voltages thereof lower so that a drain current Ids driven byMOS transistors NQ1-NQ4 increases. Accordingly, the voltage levels ofstorage nodes ND1 and ND2 change according to the write data writtenonto bit lines BL and /BL, and storage nodes ND1 and ND2 are rapidlydriven to the H and L levels according to the write data on bit lines BLand /BL, respectively. In the unselected column, the P-well potential isat the level of low-side power supply voltage VSS, and the storage datais stably held. In each memory cell on the unselected row and theselected column, the voltage level of voltage VSB on P-well PW is drivento the voltage level higher than low-side power supply voltage VSS, butthe back gate bias effect is commonly exerted on MOS transistors NQ1-NQ4to cause the same threshold voltage shift in them. Therefore, theβ-ratio between the access transistor and the driver transistor does notchange, and the static noise margin does not deteriorate. Further, thestorage node is isolated from the corresponding bit line, and aninternal current flowing path does not present so that the storage datais stably held.

According to the twelfth embodiment of the invention, as describedabove, the bias voltage on the well region forming the access and drivertransistors is controlled according to the bit line voltage in eachmemory cell column individually and independently of the other memorycell columns. In the write operation, the substrate bias effect of theN-channel MOS transistor is reduced, and the gate to source voltage isequivalently increased to increase the drive current amount, so that thedata can be written fast and stably.

Thirteenth Embodiment

FIG. 34 schematically shows a construction of a main portion of asemiconductor memory device according to a thirteenth embodiment of theinvention. FIG. 34 shows a construction of a portion related to thememory cells in one column. Memory cells MC connected to bit lines BLand /BL are divided into two memory cell groups MG1 and MG2.Corresponding to this division, VDD source line VDM is divided intodivided VDD source lines VDM1 and VDM2 corresponding to memory cellgroups MG1 and MG2, respectively. P-channel MOS transistors PT35 andPT36 are coupled to divided VDD source lines VDM1 and VDM2,respectively. MOS transistors PT35 and PT36 are selectively turned onaccording to the output signal of NAND gate NG1 receiving the voltagesof bit lines BL and /BL, and supply high-side power supply voltage VDDto corresponding divided VDD source line VDM1 and VDM2, respectively,when made conductive.

The construction of the write assist circuit shown in FIG. 34 is thesame as that of the divided VDD source line of the third embodimentshown in FIG. 10 except for that NAND gate NG1 is provided commonly tomemory cell groups MG1 and MG2. Therefore, the operations for datawriting and reading are the same as those of the construction of thethird embodiment shown in FIG. 11, and the voltage and impedance of VDDsource line VDM corresponding to each bit line pair are controlledindividually and independently of the other bit line pairs.

In the case of the construction shown in FIG. 34, NAND gate NG1 isarranged on one end of the bit line pair BL an d/BL for commonlycontrolling MOS transistors PT35 and PT36, so that an occupation area ofthe write assist circuit can be reduced.

Modification

FIG. 35 schematically shows a construction of a modification of thethirteenth embodiment of the invention. In the construction shown inFIG. 35, write assist circuit PCK is arranged at a central portion ofbit lines BL and /BL. Write assist circuit PCK controls divided VDDsource lines VDM1 and VDM2 provided for the respective memory cellgroups MG1 and MG2 according to the voltage levels of corresponding bitlines BL and /BL.

Write assist circuit PCK includes NAND gate NG1 shown in FIG. 34 as wellas P-channel MOS transistors PT35 and PT36. Divided VDD source linesVDM1 and VDM2 are coupled to high-side power supply nodes VH of memorycells MC in the respective memory cell groups MG1 and MG2.

In the construction shown in FIG. 35, write assist circuit PCK isarranged at the central portion of the memory cell array. NAND gate NG1and P-channel MOS transistors PT35 and PT36 forming write assist circuitPCK can be implemented through the use of the P- and N-channel MOStransistors forming memory cell MC, and the increase in array layoutarea can be suppressed.

FIG. 36 shows a planar layout of write assist circuit PCK and memorycells MC shown in FIG. 35. FIG. 36 shows an interconnection layoutachieved after forming contacts from forming active regions.

In FIG. 36, an N-well NW extending linearly in the column direction isarranged in the central portion of the memory cell column arrangementregion. P-wells PW1 and PW2 each extending in the column direction arearranged on the opposite sides of N-well NW, respectively. In N-well NWand P-wells PW1 and PW2, memory cell regions MCa and MCb each for onebit of memory cell extend in the row direction. Regions PGa and PGb forforming write assist circuits PCK are arranged between memory cellregions MCa and MCb. Write assist circuit formation regions PGa and PGbhave the same lengths in the column direction as memory cell regions MCaand MCb.

N- and P-wells NW and PW are N- and P-type regions formed at the samesemiconductor substrate surface, and have P- and N-channel MOStransistors (or active regions for forming P- and N-type transistorelements) formed thereon, respectively. These wells NW and PW serve asthe substrate regions (back gates) of the MOS transistors. Thus, N-wellNW is a P-channel MOS transistor formation region, and P-well PW is anN-channel MOS transistor formation region.

Active regions AR1 and AR6 each extending continuously in the columndirection are formed in P-wells PW1 and PW2, respectively. In N-well NW,an active region AR2 is arranged in memory cell region MCa, and anactive region AR3 extends in the column direction over regions PGb andMCb. An active region AR4 extends in the column direction over regionsMCa and PGa, and active region AR5 extending in the column direction isformed in memory cell region MCb.

In the region of memory cell MCa, polycrystalline siliconinterconnection lines PL1 and PL2 are formed extending in the rowdirection. Polycrystalline silicon interconnection line PL1 extends overP- and N-wells PW1 and NW, and polycrystalline silicon region PL2extends only in P-well region PW1.

In P-well PW1, polycrystalline silicon interconnection lines PL3, PL4,PL5, PL6, PL7 and PL8 are formed extending, in the row direction, tocross active region AR1. Polycrystalline silicon interconnections PL3and PL8 extend in the row direction within the region of P-well PW1.Polycrystalline silicon interconnection lines PL4 and PL5 extendlinearly in the row direction over P-well PW1, N-well NW and P-well PW2.

Polycrystalline silicon interconnection lines PL6 and PL7 are disposedextending in the row direction over P- and N-wells PW1 and NW1, to crossactive regions AR1 and AR3.

A polycrystalline silicon interconnection line PL11 is disposedextending in the row direction across active regions AR5 and AR6 inN-well NW and P-well PW2.

Polycrystalline silicon interconnection lines PL12, PL13 and PL14 arearranged extending in the row direction, only within the region ofP-well PW2, to cross active region AR6.

Polycrystalline silicon interconnection lines PL2, PL3 and PL8 areprovided on one-side ends thereof with contacts CT1, CT2 and CT3,respectively. In active region AR1, each of contacts CT4-CT11 isarranged between the adjacent polycrystalline silicon interconnectionlines except between polycrystalline silicon interconnection lines PL4and PL5.

A contact CT12 is arranged for polycrystalline silicon interconnectionline PL4, and is located in a boundary region between P- and N-wells.

In active region AR2, a contact CT13 is arranged in a region on one sideof polycrystalline silicon interconnection PL1, and a shared contact ST1is arranged in a region on the other side. Shared contact ST1 directlyconnects the corresponding impurity region in active region AR2 to apolycrystalline silicon interconnection line PL9. Therefore, sharedcontact ST1 extends over an insulating film for element isolation onto aposition above polycrystalline silicon interconnection PL9. By utilizingthe shared contact, it is possible to avoid use of a metalinterconnection line in the interconnection layer for connecting activeregion AR2 to polycrystalline silicon interconnection line PL9.

In active region AR3, contacts CT15, CT16 and CT17 are arrangedcorresponding to polycrystalline silicon interconnections PL5, PL6 andPL7, respectively, and a shared contact ST2 is arranged on the other endregion thereof. Shared contact ST2 connects the impurity region at thelower side of active region AR3 to polycrystalline siliconinterconnection line PL11.

In active region AR4, a shared contact ST3 is arranged forpolycrystalline silicon interconnection line PL1, and contacts CT17,CT18 and CT19 are arranged corresponding to polycrystalline siliconinterconnection lines PL9, PL10 and PL4, respectively.

Active region AR5 is likewise connected to polycrystalline siliconinterconnection line PL1 via shared contact ST3, and is provided, at theother side, with a contact CT21.

In active region AR6, contacts CT22-CT29 for the corresponding impurityregions are arranged corresponding to the polycrystalline siliconinterconnection lines, respectively. In active region AR6, a contact isnot arranged between polycrystalline silicon interconnection lines PL4and PL5, similarly to active region AR1.

Contacts CT30, CT31 and CT32 are arranged on the respective other endsof polycrystalline silicon interconnection lines PL12, PL13 and PL14.

As can be seen from the interconnection layout of FIG. 36, gateinterconnection lines of transistors of memory cell regions MCa and MCbextend in the same direction as the gate interconnection lines in writeassist circuit formation regions PGa and PGb, and the layout ofinterconnections is point-symmetrical with respect to a center of theboundary region between regions PGa and PGb. Therefore, theinterconnection layout can be simple, and the regularity of theinterconnection pattern of the memory cells can be maintained.

Further, the active regions linearly extend in the column direction, andthe transistors can be arranged with improved area efficiency. InP-wells PW1 and PW2, active regions AR1 and AR6 are each arrangedcontinuously in a linear form, and patterning is made easy to readilyaccommodate for cell miniaturization.

FIG. 37 shows an electrically equivalent circuit of the interconnectionlayout shown in FIG. 36. In FIG. 37, for memory cell region MCa, inP-well PW1, N-channel MOS transistors NQ1 and NQ3 are arranged inseries, at P-well PW2, N-channel MOS transistors NQ4 and NQ2 arearranged in series. These MOS transistors NQ1-NQ4 correspond to thedriver transistors and access transistors of memory cells MC shown inFIG. 31 and others, and corresponding portions are allotted with thesame reference numerals.

For memory cell region MCa, at N-well NW, P-channel MOS transistors PQ1and PQ2 are arranged being displaced from each other in the row andcolumn directions. These MOS transistors PQ1 and PQ2 correspond to theload transistors in the construction of memory cell MC shown in FIG. 31.Corresponding portions are allotted with the same reference numerals.

One conduction node of MOS transistor NQ1 is connected to contact CT4,and the gate of MOS transistor NQ3 is connected to contact CT1. Gates ofMOS transistors NQ1 and PQ1 are connected to one conduction node (drainnode) of MOS transistor PQ2 via shared contact ST3. One conduction node(drain node) of MOS transistor PQ1 is connected to gates of MOStransistors PQ2 and NQ2 via shared contact ST1. MOS transistor NQ4 hasone conduction node connected to contact CT22, and a gate connected tocontact CT30.

For the write assist circuit formation region, at P-well PW1, MOStransistors NT60 and NT50 are formed in region PGa, and MOS transistorsNT52 and NT72 are formed in region PGb, and conduction nodes(sources/drains) of these MOS transistors NT60, NT50, NT52 and NT72 areconnected in series (formed in active region AR1). Likewise, MOStransistors NT72, NT54, NT56 and NT62 are arranged to be connected inseries in P-well PW2.

For region PGa, at N-well NW, P-channel MOS transistors PT35 and PT50are formed. For region PGb, at N-well NW, P-channel MOS transistors PT52and PT36 are arranged in series. MOS transistors PT35 and PT36 aretransistors controlling the impedance of the memory cell power supply,and correspond to MOS transistors PT35 and PT36 shown in FIG. 34.

A gate of MOS transistor NT60 is connected to contact CT2, and gates ofMOS transistors NT50, PT50 and NT54 are coupled to contact CT12 via acommon interconnection line (polycrystalline silicon interconnectionline PL4). Gates of MOS transistors NT52, PT52 and NT56 are coupledtogether by polycrystalline silicon interconnection line PL5, and arefurther coupled to contact CT35. One conduction node of MOS transistorPT52 is coupled to contact CT15, and one conduction node of MOStransistor PT50 is connected to contact CT19.

Gates of MOS transistors NT70 and PT36 are commonly coupled to contactCT20 via polycrystalline silicon interconnection line PL6, and gates ofMOS transistors NT72 and PT36 are commonly coupled to contact CT14 viapolycrystalline silicon interconnection line PL10.

The gate of MOS transistor NT62 is connected to contact CT31. In memorycell formation region MCb also, N-channel MOS transistors NQ1-NQ4 andP-channel MOS transistors PQ1 and PQ2 are arranged in the same layout asthat in memory cell region MCa. The gate of MOS transistor NQ3 isconnected to contact CT3, and one conduction node of MOS transistor NQ3is connected to contact CT11. The gates of MOS transistors PQ2 and NQ4are connected to one conduction node of MOS transistor PQ1 via sharedcontact ST2, and gates of MOS transistors NQ1 and PQ1 are connected toone conduction node of MOS transistor PQ2 via shared contact ST4. Oneconduction node of each of MOS transistors PQ2 and NQ4 is connected tocorresponding contact CT22 or CT21, and a gate of MOS transistor NQ2 isconnected to contact CT32.

By utilizing the two memory cell formation regions for forming the writeassist circuit, it is possible to maintain the regularity of the layoutof memory cells in memory cell regions MCa and MCb on the opposite sides(the memory cells have the mirror-symmetrical layouts in the columndirection). Even with the write assist circuit arranged in the memoryarray, it is not necessary to redesign the layout for the memory cellsin the memory cell array.

FIG. 38 shows a layout of upper interconnection lines above theinterconnection layout shown in FIG. 36, and particularly shows firstlevel metal interconnection lines as well as a layout of first viasformed at the first level metal interconnection lines. FIG. 36 alsoshows the active regions and polycrystalline silicon interconnectionlines together with reference numerals.

In FIG. 38, in memory cell region MCa, there are arranged a first metalinterconnection line FML1 connected to active region AR1 via a contactand a second metal interconnection line FML4 connected topolycrystalline silicon interconnection line PL2 via a contact. Firstmetal interconnection line FML4 constitutes a part of word line WLi+1,and first metal interconnection line FML1 constitutes a part of a metalinterconnection line for transmitting low-side power supply voltage VSS.A first metal interconnection line FML5 coupling active region AR1 toactive region AR2 and to first polycrystalline silicon interconnectionline PL9 is arranged between first polycrystalline siliconinterconnection lines PL1 and PL2. First metal interconnection line FML5is coupled to active region AR2 via a shared contact formed below inactive region AR2, and is also coupled to first polycrystalline siliconinterconnection line PL9.

In a region opposite to first metal interconnection line FML5 withrespect to polycrystalline silicon interconnection PL1, there is formeda first metal interconnection line FML2 coupled to active region AR2 viaa contact. First metal interconnection line FML2 is finally coupled todivided VDD source line VDM2. In memory cell region MCa, there isarranged a first metal interconnection line FML6 that is coupled toactive region AR4 via a shared contact, is connected to firstpolycrystalline silicon interconnection line PL1 and further is coupledto active region AR6 via a contact. A first metal interconnection lineFML3 is arranged in a corresponding region of active region AR6 withrespect to first polycrystalline silicon interconnection line PL12.First metal interconnection line FML3 is provided with a first via (V),and is finally coupled to complementary bit line /BL.

A first metal interconnection line FML7 having a rectangular formelongated in the row direction is formed at P-well PW2 of memory cellregion MCa. First metal interconnection line FML7 is coupled to firstpolycrystalline silicon interconnection line PL12 via a contact, andconstitutes a part of word line WLi+1.

At a boundary region between memory cell region MCa and write assistcircuit formation region PGa, first metal interconnection lines FML8,FML9 and FML10 are arranged corresponding to active regions AR1, AR5 andAR6, respectively, and each having a rectangular form elongated in therow direction. Each of first metal interconnection lines FML8-FML10 iscoupled to the corresponding active region via a contact, and isprovided at its portion with a first via. First metal interconnectionline FML8 is finally coupled to bit line BL, and first metalinterconnection line FML9 is finally coupled to divided VDD source lineVDM1. First metal interconnection line FML10 constitutes a part of avoltage line transmitting low-side power supply voltage VSS.

In write assist circuit formation region PGa, there is arranged a firstmetal interconnection line FML11 connected to first polycrystallinesilicon interconnection line PL3 via a contact. This first metalinterconnection line FML11 has a rectangular form elongated in the rowdirection, and is finally coupled via a first via to a power supply linetransmitting low-side power supply voltage VSS.

Between first polycrystalline silicon interconnection lines PL3 and PL4,there is arranged a first metal interconnection line FML12 that extendslinearly in the row direction and has a portion extending in the columndirection in N-well NW. First metal interconnection line FML12 isconnected to active region AR1, and is connected to firstpolycrystalline silicon interconnection line PL10 via a contact. Firstmetal interconnection line FML12 further extends, in the region ofN-well NW, in the column direction beyond first polycrystalline siliconinterconnection line, and extends in the row direction to e connected toactive region AR4 via a contact in a boundary region between regions PGaand PGb. First metal interconnection line FML12 is formed into a steppedform with partial interconnection lines extending linearly in the rowand column directions, and forms an output node of NAND gate NG1.

In region PGa, a first metal interconnection line FML13 coupled toactive region AR4 via a contact is arranged between polycrystallinesilicon interconnection lines PL10 and PL4. First metal interconnectionline FML13 is coupled to the power supply line transmitting high-sidepower supply voltage VDD through a first via. In a region of P-well PW2,a first metal interconnection line FML14 is arranged between firstpolycrystalline silicon interconnection lines PL10 and PL4. First metalinterconnection line FML14 is finally coupled to a VS source linetransmitting low-side power supply voltage VSS through a first via.

In a boundary region between regions PGa and PGb, there is arranged afirst metal interconnection line FML15 that is coupled topolycrystalline silicon interconnection line PL4 via a contact andextends to active region AR1, and further there is arranged a firstmetal interconnection line FML16 that extends to active region AR6 andis coupled to first polycrystalline silicon interconnection line PL5.These first metal interconnection lines FML15 and FML16 are not providedwith a contact in active regions AR1 and AR6, and therefore, areisolated from active regions AR1 and AR6. For maintaining the regularityof the interconnection layout, first metal interconnection lines FML15and FML16 are arranged extending to positions above active regions AR1and AR6, respectively.

In region PGb, a first metal interconnection line FML17 connected toactive region AR1 via a contact is arranged between polycrystallinesilicon interconnection lines PL5 and PL6. This first metalinterconnection line FML17 transmits low-side power supply voltage VSS.A first metal interconnection line FML18 connected to active region AR3via a contact is arranged in N-well NW, and is coupled to a VDD sourceline transmitting high-side power supply voltage VDD.

First metal interconnection line FML12 extending from the region PGa iscoupled via a contact to active region AR4. Thus, first metalinterconnection line FML12 further extends continuously in the row andcolumn directions in an L shaped form in region PGb, and is coupled topolycrystalline silicon interconnection line PL6 via a contact. Firstmetal interconnection line FML12 is further coupled via a contact to aregion between polycrystalline silicon interconnections PL5 and PL14 ofactive region AR6 in P-well PW2.

In region PGb, first polycrystalline silicon interconnection line PL13is coupled via a contact to a first metal interconnection line FML19 ofa rectangular form elongated in the row direction. First metalinterconnection FML19 is arranged in a boundary region with the memorycells in the adjacent column, and is finally coupled to the VSS sourceline transmitting low-side power supply voltage VSS.

In a boundary region between regions PGb and MCb, there is arranged afirst metal interconnection line FML20 connected to active region AR1via a contact. First metal interconnection line FML20 transmits low-sidepower supply voltage VSS to active region AR1 between polycrystallinesilicon interconnection lines PL6 and PL7. In N-well NW, there isarranged a first metal interconnection line FML21 connected to activeregion AR3 via a contact. In a P-well PW2, there is arranged a firstmetal interconnection line FML22 connected to active region AR6 via acontact. First metal interconnection lines FML20-FML22 are furtherprovided with first vias for connection to interconnection lines in anupper layer. First metal interconnection line FML21 is finally coupledto divided VDD source line VDM2, and first metal interconnection lineFML22 is coupled to complementary bit line /BL.

In memory cell region MCb, in the similar layout as memory cell regionMCa, there is provided first metal interconnection line FML24 connectedto first polycrystalline silicon interconnection line PL8, and a firstmetal interconnection FML25 connected to active region AR1 via a contactin the region of P-well PW1. Between first polycrystalline siliconinterconnection lines PL7 and PL8, there is arranged a first metalinterconnection line FML26 coupled to active regions AR1 and AR3. Firstmetal interconnection line FML26 is connected to active region AR1 via acontact, and is coupled to active region AR3 via a shared contact.Therefore, first metal interconnection line FML26 is coupled to firstpolycrystalline silicon interconnection line PL11.

In memory cell region MCb, there is further arranged a first metalinterconnection line FML28 that is coupled to active region AR5 inN-well NW via a shared contact, and is coupled to first polycrystallinesilicon interconnection line PL7. First metal interconnection line FML28extends to P-well PW2, and is coupled to a region betweenpolycrystalline silicon interconnection lines PL14 and PL11 in activeregion AR6 via a contact.

At an end side of active region AR5, there are arranged a first metalinterconnection line FML27 coupled to active region AR5 via a contact aswell as a first metal interconnection line FML30 coupled to activeregion AR6 via a contact. First metal interconnection line FML30 iscoupled via a first via to the VSS source line transmitting low-sidepower supply voltage VSS. First metal interconnection line FML27 iscoupled to divided VDD source line VDM2, and first metal interconnectionline FML20 is coupled to bit line BL via a first via.

In memory cell region MCb, there is further arranged a first metalinterconnection line FML29 that has a rectangular form elongated in therow direction, and is coupled to polycrystalline silicon interconnectionline PL14 via a contact. First metal interconnection lines FML24 andFML29 opposing to each other at the boundary regions with adjacentcolumns each constitute a part of a common word line WLi.

As shown in FIG. 38, the first metal interconnection lines extend, inthe layout, merely linearly in the row and column directions, andinterconnection lines for connecting internal nodes are laid out at theshortest length, so that the interconnection resistance can be reduced.

FIG. 39 shows an electrically equivalent circuit of the interconnectionlayout shown in FIG. 38. In FIG. 39, the connection nodes between MOStransistors NQ1 and NQ3 is connected to gates of MOS transistors PQ2 andNQ2 via first metal interconnection line FML5. One conduction node(source node) of P-channel MOS transistor PQ1 is coupled to divided VDDsource line VDM1 via first metal interconnection line FML12. Gates ofMOS transistors PQ1 and NQ1 are coupled via first metal interconnectionline FML6 to a connection node between MOS transistors NQ4 and NQ2. MOStransistor NQ4 has one conduction node coupled via first metalinterconnection line FML3 to a node constituting a part of complementarybit line /BL, and a gate coupled to word line WLi+1 via first metalinterconnection line FML7.

A connection node between MOS transistors NQ3 and NT60 is coupled to bitline BL via first metal interconnection line FML8. The connection nodebetween MOS transistors PQ2 and PT35 is coupled to divided VDD sourceline VDM1 via first metal interconnection line FML9. A connection nodeof MOS transistors NQ2 and NT72 is coupled via first metalinterconnection FML10 to a node supplying low-side power supply voltageVSS.

In region PGa, the gate of MOS transistor NT60 is coupled to low-sidepower supply voltage VSS via first metal interconnection line FML11.First metal interconnection line FML12 connects the connection nodebetween MOS transistors NT60 and NT50 to gates of MOS transistors PT35and NT72, and a polycrystalline silicon interconnection line connectingone conduction node of MOS transistor PT52 to gates of MOS transistorsNT74 and NT54 is coupled to first metal interconnection line FML15. Whenthe step of making the shown interconnection is completed, an end offirst metal interconnection line FML15 is in the floating state. Apolycrystalline silicon interconnection line connecting the gates of MOStransistors NT52, PT52 and NT51 is connected to first metalinterconnection line FML16. When the current interconnection step iscompleted, first metal interconnection line FML16 is in the floatingstep, but will be finally coupled to bit line /BL.

In region PGb, a connection node between MOS transistors NT52 and NT70is coupled via first metal interconnection line FML17 to a nodesupplying low-side power supply voltage VSS. A connection node betweenMOS transistors PT52 and PT36 is coupled via first metal interconnectionline FML18 to a node supplying high-side power supply voltage VDD. MOStransistor NT62 has a gate coupled via first metal interconnection lineFML19 to a node supplying low-side power supply voltage VSS.

In a boundary region between regions PGb and MCb, a connection nodebetween MOS transistors NT70 and NQ1 is coupled via first metalinterconnection FML20 to a node supplying low-side power supply voltageVSS. A connection node between MOS transistors PT36 and PQ1 is coupledto divided VDD source line VDM2 via first metal interconnection lineFML21. A connection node between MOS transistors NT62 and NQ2 is coupledto a complementary bit line /BL via first metal interconnection lineFML22.

In memory cell region MCb, first metal interconnection line FML28connects a connection node between MOS transistors NQ2 and NQ4 to gatesof MOS transistors PQ1 and NQ1, and first metal interconnection lineFML26 connects gates of MOS transistors PQ2 and NQ4 to a connection nodebetween MOS transistors NQ1 and NQ3. One conduction node of MOStransistor NQ3 is coupled to bit line BL via first metal interconnectionline FML25. One conduction node of MOS transistor PQ2 is coupled todivided VDD source line VDM2 via first metal interconnection line FML27.One conduction node of MOS transistor NQ4 is coupled to a node supplyinglow-side power supply voltage VSS via first metal interconnection lineFML30. These memory cell regions MCa and MCb have the sameinterconnection layout except for that the gates of MOS transistors NQ4and NQ3 in memory cell region MCa are coupled to word line WLi+1, thegates of MOS transistors NQ4 and NQ3 in memory cell region MCb arecoupled to word line WLi and divided VDD source lines VDM1 and VDM2 arecoupled to the cell high-side power supply nodes.

FIG. 40 shows a layout of second metal interconnection lines in a layerabove the interconnection layout shown in FIG. 38. In FIG. 40, the firstmetal interconnection lines in the lower layer are allotted with thesame reference numerals as those in the interconnection layout shown inFIG. 38, and detailed description thereof is not repeated.

In FIG. 40, a second metal interconnection line SML1 is arranged atP-well region PW1 in memory cell region MCa for first metalinterconnection line FML1 with a first via in between. Second metalinterconnection line SML1 supplies low-side power supply voltage VSS.Second metal interconnection line SML2 is arranged corresponding tofirst metal interconnection line FML4, and is coupled to word lineWLi+1. At P-well PW2 in region MCa, first metal interconnection lineFML7 is coupled via a first via to a second metal interconnection lineSML11 constituting a part of word line WLi+1.

At a region of P-well PW1 in region PGa, a second metal interconnectionline SML3 is arranged to be coupled to first metal interconnection lineFML11 via a first via. Second metal interconnection line SML3 supplieslow-side power supply voltage VSS.

At a region of P-well PW2 in region PGa, first metal interconnectionlines FML10 and FML14 are inter-coupled via first contacts by a secondmetal interconnection line SML12. Second metal interconnection lineSML12 supplies low-side power supply voltage VSS.

A second metal interconnection line SML8 crosses over first metalinterconnection line FML12 extending over regions PGa and PGb. Secondmetal interconnection line SML8 is coupled to first metalinterconnection lines FML13 and FML18 via first vias to provide thenodes each supplying high-side power supply voltage VDD.

In region PGb, first metal interconnection lines FML17 and FML20 areinterconnected via first vias by a second metal interconnection lineSML4. First metal interconnection line FML19 is coupled to a secondmetal interconnection line SML13 via a first via. Second metalinterconnection line SML13 provides a node supplying low-side powersupply voltage VSS.

In memory cell region MCb, first metal interconnection line FML24 iscoupled to a second metal interconnection line SML5 via a first via toconstitute a part of word line WLi. First metal interconnection lineFML30 is coupled to a second metal interconnection line SML15 via afirst via to provide a node supplying low-side power supply voltage VSS.First metal interconnection line FML29 at the opposite end is coupled toa second metal interconnection line SML14 via a first via. Second metalinterconnection line SML14 constitutes a part of word line WLi.

A second metal interconnection line SML6 is arranged extendingcontinuously in the column direction at a region of P-well PW1. Secondmetal interconnection line SML6 is connected to each of first metalinterconnection lines FML8, FML15 and FML25 via first vias, and formsbit line BL.

At N-well NW, a second metal interconnection line SML7 is arrangedextending in the column direction in memory cell region MCa, to becoupled to first metal interconnection lines FML12 and FML9 via firstvias. In memory cell region MCb, a second metal interconnection lineSML9 is arranged extending in the column direction, to be coupled tofirst metal interconnection lines FML21 and FML27 via first vias. Secondmetal interconnection line SML9 constitutes a part of divided VDD sourceline VDM2. Second metal interconnection line SML7 constitutes a part ofdivided VDD source line VDM1.

At P-well PW2, there is arranged a second metal interconnection lineSML10 extending continuously and linearly in the column direction.Second metal interconnection line SML10 is coupled to each of firstmetal interconnection lines FML3, FML16 and FML22 via first vias to formcomplementary bit line /BL.

Divided VDD source line VDM1 continuously extends upward in the columndirection in FIG. 40, and divided VDD source line VDM2 continuouslyextends downward in the column direction. Second metal interconnectionlines SML6 and SML0 forming respective bit lines BL and /BL are arrangedcontinuously and linearly extending in the column direction, and arecoupled to the memory cells aligned in one column. First metalinterconnection lines FML15 and FML16 are connected to only the gates ofthe MOS transistors, and such a layout is avoided that bit lines BL and/BL are coupled to internal nodes of the write assist circuit.

According to the layout of the second metal interconnection lines, thenodes coupled to the same word line or to the same bit line in theelectrically equivalent circuit shown in FIG. 31 are mutually connected.

FIG. 41 shows a interconnection layout in a layer above theinterconnection layout shown in FIG. 40. FIG. 41 also shows the layoutof the second metal interconnection lines in a lower layer together withcorresponding reference numerals.

In FIG. 41, third metal interconnections TML1-TML7 are arranged beingspaced from each other and continuously extending in the row direction.Third metal interconnection line TML1 is coupled to second metalinterconnection line SML1 via a second via VV, and supplies low-sidepower supply voltage VSS. Third metal interconnection line TML2 iscoupled to second metal interconnection lines SML2 and SML11 via secondcontacts, and constitutes word line WLi+1.

Third metal interconnection line TML3 is coupled to second metalinterconnection lines SML3 and SML12 via second vias, and transmitslow-side power supply voltage VSS.

Third metal interconnection line TML4 is coupled to second metalinterconnection line SML8 via a second via, and supplies high-side powersupply voltage VDD.

Third metal interconnection line TML5 is coupled to second metalinterconnection lines SML13 and SML4 via second vias, and transmitslow-side power supply voltage VSS.

Third metal interconnection line TML6 is arranged in memory cell regionMCb, and is coupled to second metal interconnection lines SML5 and SML14via second vias and constitutes word line WLi.

Third metal interconnection line TML7 is coupled to second metalinterconnection line SML15 via a second via, and transmits low-sidepower supply voltage VSS.

As shown in FIG. 41, second metal interconnection lines SML7 and SML6constituting divided VDD source lines VDM1 and VDM2 are arrangedparallel to and between second metal interconnection lines SML6 andSML10 constituting bit lines BL and /BL. Thereby, the voltages of thehigh-side power supply nodes of the memory cells in each memory cellcolumn can be adjusted according to the voltage levels of bit lines BLand /BL individually and independently of those of the other memory cellcolumns.

In the interconnection layout shown in FIG. 41, the interconnectionlines transmitting low-side power supply voltage VSS are arrangedcontinuously extending in the row direction, and the voltage levels ofthe VSS source line can be adjusted for the memory cells aligned in onerow, i.e., for each memory cell row, individually and independently ofthe other rows. However, for achieving the construction in which thevoltage on VSS source line is adjusted on a column-by-column basis,fourth metal interconnection lines may be used to share the VSS sourceline between the memory cells aligned in the column direction.Specifically, in the layout of FIG. 41, third metal interconnectionlines TML1, TML3, TML5 and TML6 extending in the row direction may bearranged only within the memory cell region, and the fourth metalinterconnection lines parallel to the bit lines in the column directionmay be arranged as the VSS source lines. Although this constructionincreases the number of interconnections, it becomes possible to adjustthe voltage of the VSS source line in each column individually andindependently of the other columns.

FIG. 42 is an electrically equivalent circuit diagram showing internalconnections of write assist circuit PCK formed after completion of theinterconnection layout shown in FIG. 41.

In FIG. 42, NAND gate NG1 is formed of MOS transistors NT50, NT52, NT54and NT56 as well as P-channel MOS transistors PT50 and PT52. MOStransistors NT50 and NT52 are connected in series between output nodeNGO and the low-side power supply node (voltage VSS node), and havetheir gates connected to bit lines BL and /BL, respectively. MOStransistors NT54 and NT56 are connected in series between output nodeNGO and the low-side power supply voltage, and have their gatesconnected to bit lines BL and /BL, respectively. P-channel MOStransistor PT50 is connected between the power supply node and outputnode NDO, and has a gate coupled to bit line BL. P-channel MOStransistor PT52 is connected between the power supply node and outputnode NGO, and has a gate coupled to complementary bit line /BL.

MOS transistors NT70 and NT72 have their gates connected to output nodeNGO of NAND gate ND1. MOS transistors NT70 and NT72 do not affect theoperation of NAND gate NG1, are arranged for maintaining the repetitionregularity of the interconnection pattern in the memory cell array andare utilized as figure dummy transistors.

Each of MOS transistors NT60 and NT62 has a gate coupled to low-sidepower supply voltage VSS, and is normally maintained in the off state toprevent output node NGO of NAND gate NG1 from being coupled to bit linesBL and /BL. By operating these MOS transistors NT60 and NT62 asisolation transistors, it becomes unnecessary to provide a region forelement isolation between the write assist circuit region and the memorycell region. Thus, by arranging the isolation transistors (ND60 and NT)and the figure dummy transistors (NT70 and NT72) that are normally off,the memory cell region is reliably isolated from the write assistcircuit, and no problem occurs in circuit operations even in such aconstruction that the active region of the driver or access transistorsof the memory cells and the active regions of the transistors in writeassist circuit continuously extend in a concatenate manner.

Thereby, it becomes possible to form the transistors by continuouslyextending the active regions in the column direction in P-wells PW1 andPW2. In the P-well, therefore, it becomes possible to extend the activeregion continuously in the column direction in the P-well, the layout ofthe active region becomes simple to facilitate the pattern formation,and it becomes easy to accommodate for the miniaturization. Thus, in thewell region used for forming the memory cell, the write assist circuitcan be formed with up to the same pitch as the pitch in the rowdirection of the memory cells without affecting the layout of the memorycells. In addition, by utilizing the two memory cell formation regionsin the column direction, the write assist circuit can be arrangedwithout affecting the mirror-symmetrical arrangement of the memorycells. The length in the column direction of the construction formingwrite assist circuit PCK is twice as long as the cell pitch at themaximum, and may be shorter than the cell pitch (it is merely requiredto allow the layout of the memory cell transistors to use for the writeassist circuit).

Second Modification

FIG. 43 shows a construction of a modification of the thirteenthembodiment of the invention. FIG. 43 shows an interconnection layoutformed after forming the polycrystalline silicon interconnection linesand contacts. The interconnection layout shown in FIG. 43 differs fromthe interconnection layout shown in FIG. 36 in the following points. InN-well NW, an active region AR20 is continuously formed at centralportion of regions PGa and PGb. Thus, active regions AR3 and AR4 shownin FIG. 36 are integrally formed such that impurity regions (activeregions) extend continuously to be concatenated to form active regionAR20. Specifically, in N-well NW, active region AR20 extendscontinuously in the row direction, and is formed within a region AR20 acrossing polycrystalline silicon interconnection lines PL4 and PL5.Therefore, active region AR20 has a region aligned with active regionAR2 in the column direction, a region aligned with active region AR5 inthe column direction, and a central region AR20 a having a width of twocolumns. The MOS transistor channel width (gate width) formed in thiscentral region AR20 a can be increased twice or more. Theinterconnection layout of active regions AR1, AR2, AR5 and AR6 of theinterconnection layout shown in FIG. 43 is the same as theinterconnection layout shown in FIG. 36, and the layout of connectors isalso the same. Corresponding portions are allotted with the samereference numbers, and description thereof is not repeated.

According to the interconnection layout shown in FIG. 43, MOStransistors PT50 and PT52 of the NAND gate are located in central regionAR20 a of active region AR20, and are formed in regions PGa and PGb,respectively. In this case, the channel width (gate width W) of each ofMOS transistors PT50 and PT52 is increased, e.g., twice as compared withthe interconnection layout shown in FIG. 36, and the NAND gate is formedinto a ratioless circuit. In this case, a channel length L does notchange, and the current driving capabilities of P-channel MOStransistors PT50 and PT52 increase (because W/L increases), so that theinput logical threshold of NAND gate NG1 increases. Accordingly, theP-channel MOS transistors are turned on to output the signal at the Llevel when the potential levels of bit lines BL or /BL are higher thanintermediate voltage VDD/2. Thus, divided VDD source lines VDM1 and VDM2can be set more quickly to the floating state or the desired voltagelevel (upon switching of the voltage), and the write speed can beincreased.

The same interconnection layout as shown in FIGS. 38, 40 and 41 can beused for in the upper layer interconnection layout.

According to the thirteenth embodiment of the invention, as describedabove, the write assist circuit is arranged in the memory cell array,and adjusts the voltage level of the divided VDD source line arrangedcorresponding to each memory cell group according to the correspondingbit line potential so that the fast and stable writing can be achieved.

This write assist circuit uses the same transistor arrangement as thetransistor arrangement in the memory cell, and also utilizes the samegate interconnection lines as those of the memory cell transistors.Therefore, the write assist circuit can be arranged in the memory cellarray while preventing complication of the interconnection layout andmanufacturing steps and in addition, preventing influence on the layoutof the memory cells.

In this thirteenth embodiment, combinations of the constructions invarious previously described embodiments can be utilized for theconstruction for controlling the voltages on the divided VDD sourcelines.

The write assist circuit is arranged in the central portion of thememory cell array, i.e., in the central position of the each bit linepair. However, the write assist circuit may be arranged at each end ofthe bit line pair, and may be arranged corresponding to each divided VDDsource line. In this case, the interconnection layout of the memorycells can be utilized to provide the write assist circuit with thelayout similar to that of the write assist circuit already described inconnection with the thirteenth embodiment.

The write assist circuit may be arranged as a bit line peripheralcircuit in view of an arrangement relationship to the bit line loadcircuit (9) in the order of the write assist circuit, bit line loadcircuit and the memory cells for each column. The arrangement order ofthese bit line peripheral circuits are determined to be optimumdepending on the circuit construction of the write assist circuit,layout of the interconnection of bit lines and the interconnection ofVDD source lines VDM, and interconnection layers. The bit lineperipheral circuits (write assist circuits and bit line load circuits)may be arranged in a central portion of a bit line, may be arranged onthe opposite ends of the bit line or may be arranged only on one end ofthe bit line. The bit line load circuit may be arranged only on one endof the bit line pair, and the write assist circuit(s) may be arranged onthe opposite ends, central portion or one end of the bit line pair. Inthis case, the bit line load circuit and the write assist circuitneighboring to each other may be arranged in any of the foregoingarrangement orders.

Fourteenth Embodiment

FIG. 44 schematically shows a construction of a memory cell circuitaccording to a fourteenth embodiment of the invention. FIG. 44 shows aconstruction of the write assist circuit related to memory cells MCarranged in one column. In FIG. 44, write assist circuit PCK drives VDDsource lines VDML and VDMR arranged corresponding to bit lines BL and/BL, respectively. Write assist circuit PCK includes an inverter IV40receiving the voltage of bit line BL, a P-channel MOS transistor PT80that is selectively turned on to supply high-side power supply voltageVDD to left VDD source line VDML according to the output signal ofinverter IV40, an inverter IV42 receiving the voltage on bit line /BL, aP-channel MOS transistor PT82 that is selectively turned on to supplyhigh-side power supply voltage VDD to right VDD source line VDMRaccording to the output signal of inverter IV42.

VDD source lines VDML and VDMR are coupled to high-side power supplynodes VHL and VHR of memory cells MC, respectively. VDD source linesVDML and VDMR may have divided VDD source line structure, in which thesource line is divided in the column direction corresponding to memorycell groups.

FIG. 45 schematically shows internal connections of the memory cell inFIG. 44. In memory cell MC, as shown in FIG. 45, high-side power supplynodes VHL and VHR of load transistors PQ1 and PQ2 are coupled to VDDsource lines VDML and VDMR, and are individually driven according to thevoltages on bit lines BL and /BL, respectively.

FIG. 46 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation of thewrite assist circuit shown in FIG. 44. Referring to FIG. 46, descriptionwill now be given of operations of the memory cell circuit shown inFIGS. 44 and 45.

In the read operation, the voltage levels of bit lines BL and /BL changeaccording to the storage data on storage nodes ND1 and ND2 shown in FIG.45, respectively. In this case, the potential amplitudes of bit lines BLand /BL are small (FIG. 46 shows the case where the potential levels ofbit line /BL lowers), and inverters IV40 and IV42 maintain their outputsignals at the L level because the potentials of bit lines BL and /BLare higher than the input logical thresholds thereof. MOS transistorsPT80 and PT82 maintain the on state similarly in the standby state, andVDD source lines VDML and VDMR are maintained at the level of high-sidepower supply voltage VDD. Therefore, even when the bit line columncurrent raises the voltage level of storage node ND1 or ND2 in the dataread operation, the data holding characteristics do not deteriorate, andthe data can be stably held.

In the data write operation, the potentials of bit lines BL and /BLchange according to the write data. It is now assumed that storage nodesND1 and ND2 hold the data at H and L levels, respectively, and the dataat the opposite logical levels, i.e., L and H levels are to be writtenonto bit lines BL and /BL, respectively. In this case, when thepotential of bit line BL lowers, the output signal of inverter IV40attains the H level, and responsively, MOS transistor PT80 is turnedoff, and left VDD source line VDML attains the floating state. Other bitline /BL is at the H level, and the output signal of inverter IV is atthe L level. MOS transistor PT82 maintains the on state, and the rightVDD source line VDMR is maintained at the level of high-side powersupply voltage VDD.

When word line WL is selected, and storage nodes ND1 and ND2 are coupledto bit lines BL and /BL, respectively, the potential levels of storagenodes ND1 and ND2 change. In this case, the voltage level of left VDDsource line VDML in the floating state lowers through discharging ofaccumulated charges. Therefore, the current driving power of MOStransistor PQ1 becomes smaller than current driving power of MOStransistor PQ2, resulting in imbalance in latching capability betweenthe inverter latches in the memory cell, and the write margin increases.Therefore, bit line /BL receiving the write data at the H level raisesthe voltage level of storage node ND2 to the H level rapidly.Discharging through MOS transistor NQ1 made conductive by the rising ofthe voltage level of storage node ND2, the voltage level of storage nodeND1 rapidly lowers to the level of low-side power supply voltage VSS.Accordingly, the storage nodes of memory cell MC can be invertedaccording to the write data, and the accurate data writing can beperformed fast.

VDD source lines VDML and VDMR are arranged corresponding to bit linesBL and /BL, and the states (impedance states) of VDD source lines VDMLand VDMR are controlled according to the potentials of corresponding bitlines BL and /BL, respectively, so that the latching capabilities of theinverter latches in the memory cell can be set to the imbalance stateaccording to the write data, the write margin can be increased and fastdata writing can be performed.

The VDD source line is arranged for each load transistor in the memorycell, and the capacitance of the VDD source line can be smaller thanthat in the case where a common VDD source line is used for controllingboth the power supply nodes of these load transistors. Therefore, thevoltage change can occur more rapidly.

For the write assist circuit for the construction of arrangingindividual source lines for bit lines BL and /BL, respectively, theclamp element or voltage converter means may be employed as is thesecond to twelfth embodiments already described.

Fifteenth Embodiment

FIG. 47 schematically shows a construction of a main portion of asemiconductor device according to a fifteenth embodiment of theinvention. The bit lines have a hierarchical structure including globalbit lines GBL and /GBL as well as local bit lines LBL and /LBL. FIG. 47representatively shows a construction of a portion related to one localbit line pair LBL and /LBL. A plurality of local bit line pairsextending in the column direction are arranged for global bit lines GBLand /GBL.

VDD source lines VDML and VDMR are arranged corresponding to local bitlines LBL and /LBL, respectively. These VDD source lines VDML and VDMRare coupled to high-side power supply nodes VHL and VHR of memory cellsMC in the corresponding column. The connection of memory cell MC is thesame as the connection of memory cell MC shown in FIG. 45.

Write assist circuit PCK is arranged corresponding to local bit linesLBL and /LBL, and the impedances of these VDD source lines VDML and VDMRare individually adjusted according to the voltages on global bit linesGBL and /GBL, respectively.

Write assist circuit PCK includes a P-channel MOS transistor PT90transmitting high-side power supply voltage VDD to left VDD source lineVDML according to the voltage on a global bit line GBL, a P-channel MOStransistor PT92 transmitting high-side power supply voltage VDD to rightVDD source line VDMR according to the voltage on global bit line /GBL,and P-channel MOS transistors PT94 and PT96 clamping the lower limits ofthe voltage levels of VDD source lines VDML and VDMR at the voltagelevel of (VDD−Vthp), respectively. Vthp represents an absolute value ofthe threshold voltage of MOS transistors PT94 and PT96. MOS transistorsPT94 and PT96 are diode-connected, and operate in a diode mode.

For performing write/read of data on local bit lines LBL and /LBL, alocal bit line write/read circuit is employed as a peripheral circuitPH. The local bit line write/read circuit includes P-channel MOStransistors PPQ1 and PPQ2 transmitting high-side power supply voltageVDD onto local bit lines LBL and /LBL according to a prechargeinstruction signal PCG, write N-channel MOS transistors WNQ1 and WNQ3(N-channel MOS transistors for writing) having gates connected to globalbit lines GBL and /GBL, respectively, and writing N-channel MOStransistors WNQ2 and WNQ3 selectively made conductive according toprecharge instruction signal PCG, to connect MOS transistors WNQ1 andWNQ3 to the low-side power supply node (VSS), respectively.

MOS transistors WNQ1 and WNQ2 form a write circuit 921 that writes dataonto local bit line LBL according to the voltage on global bit line GBL,and MOS transistors WNQ3 and WNQ4 form a write circuit 92 r that writesdata onto local bit line /LBL according to the potential on global bitline /GBL.

The data read section includes a P-channel MOS transistor RPQ1 thattransmits high-side power supply voltage VDD onto global bit line GBLaccording to the potential of local bit line LBL, a P-channel MOStransistor RPQ2 that is selectively turned on according to the potentialof local bit line /LBL, to transmit high-side power supply voltage VDDonto global bit line /GBL, and a potential holding circuit 100 forholding the voltage level of local bit lines LBL and /LBL.

Potential holding circuit 100 includes P-channel MOS transistors PT100and PT102 having gates and drains cross-coupled, and maintains thevoltage on the local bit line of a higher potential between local bitlines LBL and /LBL at the level of high-side power supply voltage VDD.

With the construction of the semiconductor device shown in FIG. 47, inthe standby state, precharge instruction signal PCG is at the L level,and MOS transistors PPQ1 and PPQ2 maintain local bit lines LBL and /LBLat the H level, respectively. Global bit lines GBL and /GBL are at the Llevel, MOS transistors PT92 and PT90 in write assist circuit PCK are inthe on state, and VDD source lines VDML and VDMR are maintained at thelevel of high-side power supply voltage VDD.

In the data read operation, when the memory cell connected to local bitlines LBL and /LBL is selected (the word line is selected), prechargeinstruction signal PCG attains the H level, and precharging MOStransistors PPQ1 and PPQ2 are turned off to stop the precharging oflocal bit lines LBL and /LBL. Subsequently, voltage changes depending onthe storage data of the selected memory cell appear on local bit linesLBL and /LBL in accordance with the selection of the word line.Potential holding circuit 100 maintains the local bit line at the higherpotential between local bit lines LBL and /LBL at the level of high-sidepower supply voltage VDD. Therefore, the discharging via the selectedmemory cell gradually lowers the local bit line potential of the lowerpotential bit line.

According to the lowering of the voltage level of the local bit line,one of P-channel MOS transistors RPQ1 and RPQ2 for reading is turned onto raise the voltage level of global bit line GBL or /GBL. For the sakeof simplicity, it is assumed that the voltage level of global bit lineGBL rises. Global bit line /GBL maintains the precharged L level becauseMOS transistor RPQ2 maintains the off state. When the voltage level ofglobal bit line GBL rises in the above state, MOS transistor WNQ1 forwriting in a write circuit 921 is turned on to drive the voltage levelof local bit line LBL toward the low-side power supply voltage, andresponsively, MOS transistor RPQ1 for reading is quickly turned on toraise rapidly the potential level of global bit line GBL.

In write circuit 92 r, global bit line /GBL is at the L level, MOStransistor WNQ3 is off and local bit line /LBL maintains the H level.When the voltage level of global bit line GBL rises in the data readoperation, the voltage rising width of global bit line GBL is small(voltage level higher than the threshold voltage of MOS transistorWNQ1). More specifically, global bit line GBL has a largeinterconnection capacitance, and the voltage level thereof neitherswings fully to the level of voltage VDD nor rises to the level ofvoltage of (VDD−Vthp). Therefore, MOS transistor PT90 maintains the onstate, both VDD source lines VDML and VDMR maintain the level ofhigh-side power supply voltage so that the data can be read stably andfast without destroying the data.

In the data write operation, global bit lines GBL and /GBL areprecharged to the L level before the writing, and write assist circuitPCK precharges VDD source lines VDML and VDMR to the level of high-sidepower supply voltage VDD. Precharge instruction signal PCG instructs theprecharging of local bit lines LBL and /LBL to the H level.

In the data write operation, global bit lines GBL and /GBL fully swingto the H and L levels according to the write data, respectively. Thus,in write assist circuit PCK, MOS transistor PT90 or PT92 correspondingto the global bit line receiving the H level data is turned off. It isnow assumed that global bit line GBL receives the H level data. In thiscase, local bit line LBL is discharged to the low-side power supplyvoltage level via MOS transistors WNQ1 and WNQ2. MOS transistor WNQ3 inwrite circuit 92 r is off, and maintains local bit line /LBL at the Hlevel.

In write assist circuit PCK, MOS transistor PT90 is turned off, and VDDsource line VDML enters the floating state. When the reverse data (dataat the logical level reverse to that of the held data) is to be writteninto selected memory cell MC, the through current of each inverter inthe memory cell lowers the voltage level of left VDD source line VDML.In this state, potential holding circuit 100 maintains local bit line/LBL at the level of high-side power supply voltage VDD, and driveslocal bit line LBL to the L level. In this case, the latching capabilityof the inverter latch in the memory cell lowers according to thelowering of the voltage level of VDD source line VDML, and accordingly,the write margin increases, so that the data writing into the selectedmemory cell can be performed fast. In this data write operation, theload transistor connected to high-side power supply node VHR is quicklyturned on according to the L level data supplied from local bit lineLBL, to drive the corresponding storage node to the H level, to turn offthe other load transistor. Consequently, each storage node is rapidlydriven to the voltage level corresponding to the write data.

Therefore, even when the VDD source line arranged corresponding to thelocal bit line receiving the L level data enters the floating state, thelatching capabilities of inverter latches in memory cell MC are madeimbalanced, and the current driving capability on the side of theinverter driving the H level is increased, so that fast writing can beachieved.

MOS transistors PT94 and PT96 suppresses such a state that when the datawriting takes a long time, the voltage levels of VDD source lines VDMLand VDMR lower excessively to lower the data holding characteristics ofthe memory cells on the selected column and the unselected rows.However, when the writing is performed fast in a short time, and thevoltage level drop of VDD source lines VDML and VDMR does not adverselyaffect the data held in the memory cells on the selected column and theunselected rows, it is not particularly necessary to employ MOStransistors PT94 and PT96 for clamping.

Instead of transistors PT94 and PT96 for clamping, the construction ofswitching the power supply voltages or the construction of one-shotpulse driving as described in the foregoing embodiments may be employed.

FIG. 48 schematically shows a portion of the semiconductor memory deviceaccording to the fifteenth embodiment of the invention, and specificallyshows a construction related to the global bit line pair. Memory cellsin a plurality of row blocks MBa-MBm are arranged for global bit linesGBL and /GBL. Word lines WL0-WLn are arranged in each of row blocksMBa-MBm. For example, each of row blocks MBa-MBm includes the memorycells in 16 rows or 32 rows. The load on the local bit lines is reduced,and in addition, the memory cells are not connected to the global bitline so that the load on the global bit lines is reduced and thewriting/reading of data can be performed fast.

Local bit line pairs LBL0 and /LBL0-LBLm and /LBLm are arrangedcorresponding to row blocks MBa-MBm, respectively. VDD source line pairsVDML0 and VDMR0-VDMLm and VDMRm are arranged corresponding to local bitline pairs LBL0 and /LBL0-LBLm and /LBLm, respectively.

Write assist circuits PCKa-PCKm are arranged corresponding to row blocksMBa-MBm, respectively. These row blocks MBa-MBm control the voltagelevels (impedances) of corresponding VDD source lines LBL0 and/LBL0-LBLm and /LBLm according to the potential levels of global bitlines GBL and /GBL.

Peripheral circuits PHa-PHm that perform the writing/reading of internaldata between the global bit lines and the corresponding local bit linesare arranged corresponding to row blocks MBa-MBm, respectively. Each ofthese peripheral circuits PHa-PHm has substantially the sameconstruction as peripheral circuit PH shown in FIG. 47, and performs thewriting/reading of internal data.

Peripheral circuits PHa-PHm are supplied with precharge instructionsignals PCGa-PCGm, respectively. Activation and deactivation ofprecharge instruction signals PCGa-PCGm are controlled based on the rowblock selection signal specifying the row block including a selectedrow. The precharge instruction signal maintains the inactive state forthe unselected row blocks, and the corresponding local bit linesmaintain the precharged state. Therefore, even when each of write assistcircuits PCKa-PCKm sets VDD source lines VDML and VDMR in thecorresponding block to the floating state according to the change involtage level of global bit lines GBL and /GBL, the corresponding wordline is unselected, and the path of current flow in memory cell MC iscut off. In the memory cell on an unselected row and the selectedcolumn, the data is stably held. The unselected memory cells in oneselected row block hold the data as in the foregoing embodiments. Thus,in the write assist circuit for the selected row and an unselectedcolumn, both global bit lines GBL and /GBL are at the L level, and VDDsource lines VDML and VDMR are maintained at the level of high-sidepower supply voltage VDD.

According to the fifteenth embodiment of the invention, as describedabove, in the bit line hierarchical structure including the global andlocal bit lines, the high-side power supply line of the memory cell areformed into the divided structure according to the local bit lines, andthe write assist circuit is arranged for each divided VDD source line.In addition, the high-side power supply nodes of the memory cells areindividually driven. Accordingly, the loads on VDD source lines VDML andVDMR are reduced, and the potentials of VDD source lines VDML and VDMRcan rapidly change in the data write operation, so that the fast writingcan be achieved. The VDD source line potential changes according to theglobal bit line potential, and therefore the voltage level of the VDDsource line can change at a faster timing, so that the fast writing canbe achieved. The timing of power supply line control is set according tothe voltage on the global bit line, and the operation control isperformed according to so-called self-timing, which simplifies thetiming control.

Sixteenth Embodiment

FIG. 49 schematically shows a construction of a main portion of asemiconductor memory device according to a sixteenth embodiment of theinvention. FIG. 49 schematically shows a construction related to memorycells MC arranged for bit lines BL and /BL. Cell power supply line PVLis arranged in each column for bit line pair BL and /BL, and is isolatedfrom those in the other columns. Write assist circuit PCK is arrangedfor cell power supply line PVL (the VDD source line, VSS source line orwell). Write assist circuit PCK controls the voltage level (impedance)of cell power supply line PVL on the selected column according to thepotentials of internal data lines IOL and /IOL as well as column selectsignal CSL.

Bit lines BL and /BL are coupled to internal data lines IOL and /IOLthrough column select gate CSG, respectively. In the write operation,the voltage level of internal data lines IOL and /IOL change at a fastertiming than on bit lines BL and /BL. Therefore, by adjusting the voltagelevel (impedance) of cell power supply line PVL for the selected columnaccording to column select signal CSL, the write margin of the memorycell can be increased at a fast timing in the write operation, andaccordingly, the fast writing can be achieved.

The data read operation is substantially the same as those of theembodiments already described.

In the construction shown in FIG. 49, however, it is required to usecolumn select signal CSL, and a portion for generating column selectsignal CSL is required to have a large driving power, so that the layoutarea and power consumption slightly increase. However, the voltageimpedance control of the cell power supply line is performed accordingto the self-timing scheme, and the construction of the control circuitis made simple to suppress significant increase in layout area and powerconsumption.

According to the sixteenth embodiment of the invention, as describedabove, the voltage level of the cell power supply line is adjusted on acolumn-by-column basis according to the voltage on the internal dataline, and the data writing can be performed fast.

Seventeenth Embodiment

FIG. 50 schematically shows a whole construction of a semiconductormemory device according to a seventeenth embodiment of the invention. Inthe semiconductor memory device shown in FIG. 50, cell power supplycontrol unit 2 includes write assist circuits APCK0, . . . and APCKnarranged corresponding to respective bit line pairs BL0 and /BL0, . . ., and BLn and /BLn. In the data write operation, these write assistcircuits APCK0-APCKn set the voltage levels on cell power supply linepairs APVL0-APVLn arranged for the corresponding columns (bit linepairs) to the voltage levels different from those in the data readoperation, respectively.

These cell power supply line pairs APVL0-APVLn are arrangedcorresponding to the memory cell columns, respectively, and eachincludes cell power supply lines (first and second power supply lines)transmitting cell high-side power supply voltage VDD and cell low-sidepower supply voltage VSS.

In the write operation, write assist circuits APCK0-APCKn set thevoltage levels of cell power supply voltages VDD and VSS transmitted viacorresponding cell power supply line pairs APVL0-APVLn to theintermediate voltage levels between power supply voltages VDD and VSS.Thus, the selected memory cell MC becomes instable in the writeoperation, and the fast writing is performed.

Other constructions of the semiconductor memory device shown in FIG. 50are the same as those of the semiconductor memory device shown inFIG. 1. Corresponding portions are allotted with the same referencenumerals, and description thereof is not repeated.

The write assist circuits APCK0-APCKn shown in FIG. 50 change both powersupply voltages VDD and VSS on cell power supply line pairs APVL0-APVLnin the write operation. Therefore, the memory cell can enter theinstable state more quickly (the noise margin can be further reduced,and thus the write margin can be further increased) as compared with thecase where the voltage level of only one of VDD and VSS source lines ischanged, and fast writing can be performed.

FIG. 51 shows an example of the construction of memory cell MC shown inFIG. 50. Memory cell MC shown in FIG. 51 differs from the memory cellshown in FIG. 2 in the following construction. In memory cell MC,low-side power supply node VL is coupled to VSS source line VSM.Low-side power supply node VL is connected commonly to the sources ofMOS transistors NQ1 and NQ2 for data storage. Other configurations ofmemory cell MC shown in FIG. 51 are the same as those of the memorycells shown in FIG. 5. Corresponding portions are allotted with the samereference numerals, and description thereof is not repeated.

High-side power supply node VH and low-side power supply node VL arecoupled to VDD cell power supply line (VDD source line) VDM and VSS cellpower supply line (VSS source line) VSM included in cell power supplyline pair APCK. Both the high- and low-side power supply nodes VH and VLof the memory cell have the voltage levels changed in the data writeoperation.

FIG. 52 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation of thesemiconductor memory device shown in FIG. 50. FIG. 52 represents theoperation in a case when data at the H and L levels are held at storagenodes ND1 and ND2 of memory cell MC shown in FIG. 51, respectively.

In the data read operation, when word line WL is driven to the selectedstate, and MOS transistors NQ3 and NQ4 in memory cell MC are turned onto connect storage nodes ND1 and ND2 to bit lines BL and /BL,respectively. Accordingly, a potential difference is developed betweenbit lines BL and /BL according to the storage data of memory cell MC.The potential difference of bit lines BL and /BL is higher than avoltage level VT initiating the potential changing operation of writeassist circuits APCK0-APCKn shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, the voltagelevels of VDD and VSS source lines VDM and VSM are maintained at high-and low-side power supply voltages VDD and VSS, respectively.

The voltage at the L level on storage node ND2 in memory cell MC israised through connection to complementary bit line /BL, but the voltagelevels of high- and low-side power supply nodes VH and VL are at thelevels of high- and low-side power supply voltages VDD and VSS,respectively, so that the data can be stably held and read.

In the data write operation, word line WL is selected, and the voltagelevels of bit lines BL and /BL fully swing to power supply voltages VDDand VSS according to the write data, respectively. In this writeoperation, when one of bit lines BL and /BL has the voltage level lowerthan input logical threshold voltage VT of the write assist circuit,write assist circuits APCK0-APCKn shown in FIG. 50 turns active tochange the voltage levels of VDD and VSS source lines VDM and VSM.Responsively, the voltage level of VDD source line VDM lowers by avoltage of ΔVH, and the voltage level of VSS source line VSM rises by avoltage ΔVL. Accordingly, the potential difference between high- andlow-side power supply nodes VH and VL in memory cell MC decreases by avoltage of (ΔVH+ΔVL), and the voltage levels on storage nodes ND1 andND2 in memory cell MC rapidly change according to the write datatransmitted onto bit lines BL and /BL (storage nodes ND1 and ND2 aredriven to the L and H levels, respectively).

In the data write operation, therefore, the voltage levels of high- andlow-side power supply nodes VH and VL of the memory cell are changed toreduce the voltage difference therebetween, whereby the static noisemargin decreases, and fast data writing can be performed.

VDD and VSS source lines VDM and VSM are each coupled to the powersupply nodes of the memory cells in the corresponding column, and theparasitic capacitances thereof are substantially the same. Therefore,the potential changes of substantially the same magnitude can readilyoccur on source lines VDM and VSM.

In this construction, source lines VDM and VSM are arrangedcorresponding to the memory cell column, and the voltage levels of thesesource lines VDM and VSM are changed. Therefore, it is not necessary toarrange a separate dummy power supply line so that an interconnectionarea can be small, and the interconnection layout can be simple.

For the construction of arranging the VDD and VSS source linescorresponding to each memory cell column, substantially the sameconstruction as that of arranging the VDD source line and the dummysource line in the foregoing embodiments can be employed. It is merelyrequired to replace dummy source line DVSM with the VSS source line.

[First Specific Construction of Write Assist Circuit]

FIG. 53 shows a specific construction of a write assist circuit of asemiconductor memory device according to a seventeenth embodiment of theinvention. FIG. 53 shows a construction of a portion related to memorycells MC aligned in one column.

Write assist circuits APCK (APCKa and APCKb) shown in FIG. 53 arearranged corresponding to each memory cell column. In FIG. 53, writeassist circuits APCKa and APCKb are arranged corresponding to the memorycell column, and opposingly at the opposite ends of the bit line pair,respectively. Write assist circuits APCKa and APCKb have the sameconstruction, and corresponding portions are allotted with the samereference numerals.

Each of write assist circuits APCKa and APCKb includes a cell powersupply control section AVCT for controlling the power supply to cellpower supply line pair APVL according to the potentials of bit lines BLand /BL on the corresponding column, and a P-channel MOS transistorPT100 for electrically coupling VDD and VSS source lines VDM and VSMtogether according to the output signal of cell power supply controlsection AVCT.

VDD and VSS source lines VDM and VSM included in cell power supply linepair APVL are arranged corresponding to each memory cell column, and arecoupled to high- and low-side power supply nodes VH and VL of memorycells MC on the corresponding column, respectively.

Cell power supply control section AVCT has substantially the sameconstruction as cell power supply control section VCT shown in FIG. 24,and includes NAND gate NG1 receiving voltages on bit lines BL and /BL,inverter IV15 receiving the output signal of NAND gate NG1, P-channelMOS transistor PT3 selectively isolating VDD source line VDM from thepower supply node (VDD) according to the output signal of NAND gate NG1,and an N-channel MOS transistor NT100 selectively isolating VSS sourceline VSM from the ground node according to the output signal of inverterIV15.

P-channel MOS transistor PT100 is selectively turned on to coupleelectrically VDD and VSS source lines VDM and VSM together according tothe output signal of inverter IV15. P-channel MOS transistor PT100 has arelatively high on-resistance, and the potentials of source lines VDMand VSM change according to movement of charges on source lines VDM andVSM even when P-channel MOS transistor PT100 is on. However, thepotentials of source lines VDM and VSM do not become equal to eachother, and the potential difference is present between them in a limitedfinite time. Assuming that MOS transistor PT100 has an on-resistance ofZ, and each of VDD and VSS source lines VDM and VSM has aninterconnection capacitance of C, the potential change rate of each ofthese source lines VDM and VSM is proportional to (VDD−ΔVH-ΔVL)/(R·C).When the potential difference between source lines VDM and VSM is large,the potential change speed is high, and will gradually decreases. In thewrite operation, therefore, a large potential change is initiallypresent between VDD and VSS source lines VDM and VSM, and the operationmargin in the write operation can be large. Further, VDD and VSS sourcelines VDM and VSM have substantially the same interconnectioncapacitance, and voltage changes ΔVH and ΔVL are substantially equal toeach other. Therefore, the potential change caused between power supplynode VL and VH can be nearly double the potential change caused in thecase where the potential change is caused on one of cell power supplylines, and the memory cell can be rapidly set instable to increase thewrite margin.

FIG. 53 representatively shows four word lines WL0-WL3, and word linesare arranged corresponding to the respective memory cells arranged inone column.

FIG. 54 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation for datawriting of the construction shown in FIG. 53. Referring to FIG. 54,description will now be given of the operations of the write assistcircuit shown in FIG. 53.

Before the data writing, bit lines BL and /BL are in a standby state.Bit lines BL and /BL are provided with a bit line load circuit (notshown). In the standby state, bit lines BL and /BL are precharged by thebit line load circuit to the power supply voltage level or a level closeto it, and are at the H level. In this state, output node NDA of NANDgate NG1 is at the L level, and both MOS transistors PT3 and NT100 arein an on state, so that VDD and VSS source lines VDM and VSM are coupledto the power supply node and the ground node, and are at the levels ofpower supply voltages VDD and VSS, respectively.

In the data write operation, the potentials of bit lines BL and /BLchange according to the write data. When one of the potentials of bitlines BL and /BL exceeds input logical threshold VT of NAND gate NG1,the output signal of NAND gate NG1 attains the H level, MOS transistorsPT3 and NT100 are turned off, and source lines VDM and VSM are isolatedfrom high- and low-side power supply nodes to attain the floating state,respectively. Concurrently, P-channel MOS transistor PT100 is turned onto couple electrically VDD source line VDM to VSS source line VSM.

P-channel MOS transistor PT100 has a relatively large on resistance(channel resistance and source/drain diffusion resistance), and thepotentials of VDD and VSS source lines VDM and VSM are not equalizedwithin a finite time even when charges move from VDD source line VDM inthe floating state to VSS source line VSM in the floating state. Thus,the voltage level of VDD source line VDM slightly lowers from powersupply voltage VDD, and the voltage level of VSS source line VSM risesslightly above low-side power supply voltage VSS (the voltage changespeed is initially large, and will gradually decreases).

Owing to the changes in voltage levels of source lines VDM and VSM, thelatching capability of memory cell MC is reduced, and the write marginincreases so that the data writing can be performed fast. The changes involtage level of source lines VDM and VSM are small, and the unselectedmemory cells on the selected cell column are ensured of a sufficientlylarge static noise margin, and can stably hold the data. Likewise, amemory cell on an unselected column and the selected row maintains thesame state as that in the read operation, and can stably hold the dataas in the read operation.

In the data read operation and standby state, the voltage levels of bitlines BL and /BL are higher than input logical threshold VT of NAND gateNG1, MOS transistors PT3 and NT100 are in an on state and MOS transistorPT100 is in an off state. Therefore, VDD and VSS source lines VDM andVSM reliably maintain high- and low-side power supply voltages VDD andVSS, respectively, and the data can be stably held and read.

According to the seventeenth embodiment, as described above, VDD and VSSsource lines arranged corresponding to each memory cell column are usedfor changing both the voltage levels thereof in the data writeoperation, and the dummy source line as shown in FIG. 24 is not requiredso that the interconnection layout area can be further reduced. Further,only one MOS transistor is used instead of the CMOS transmission gate sothat the layout area can be reduced.

The arrangement of source lines VDM and VSM in the seventeenthembodiment of the invention is achieved by providing P-, N- and P-wellsfor each memory cell column and arranging the VDD and VSS source linesextending in the column direction in each well region (e.g., by usingthird metal interconnection lines).

When cell power supply control section AVCT utilizes the same transistorlayout as the two memory cells aligned in the column direction, it ispossible to achieve the circuit construction of NAND gate NG1, inverterIV15 and MOS transistors PT3 and NT100. In this layout, merely P-channelMOS transistor PT100 for electrically coupling VDD source line VDM andVSS source line VSM is further required.

[Second Construction of Write Assist Circuit]

FIG. 55 shows a second construction of the write assist circuitaccording to the seventeenth embodiment of the invention. Write assistcircuits APCKa and APCKb shown in FIG. 55 are different in constructionfrom the write assist circuits shown in FIG. 53 in the following points.An N-channel MOS transistor NT102 that is selectively turned onaccording to the signal on node NDA is used as the transistor elementfor electrically coupling VDD source line VDM to VSS source line VSM.Other constructions of write assist circuits APCKa and APCKb shown inFIG. 55 are the same as those of write assist circuits APCKa and APCKbshown in FIG. 53. Corresponding portions are allotted with the samereference numerals, and description thereof is not repeated.

The arrangement of memory cells MC, word lines WL0-WL3 and cell powersupply line pair APVL is the same as that shown in FIG. 53. Thus, cellpower supply line pair APVL (source lines VDM and VSM) is arranged foreach memory cell column.

In the data write operation, in write assist circuits APCKa and APCKbshown in FIG. 55, one of the potentials of bit lines BL and /BL attainsthe voltage level lower than input logical threshold VT (see FIG. 54) ofNAND gate NG1. When the output signal of NAND gate NG1 attains the Hlevel, N-channel MOS transistor NT102 is turned on, and MOS transistorsPT3 and NT100 are turned off. N-channel MOS transistor NT102 has a largeon resistance, and suppresses movement of charges between VDD and VSSsource lines VDM and VSM. The potentials of VDM and VSS source lines arenot equalized, and a voltage difference is present. Similarly to thesignal waveform diagram of FIG. 54, the potential level of VDD sourceline VDM slightly lowers, and the voltage level of VSS source line VSMslightly rises. Thereby, the memory cell MC is forced into an instablestate, to increase the write margin.

Accordingly, in the construction using N-channel MOS transistor NT102 asthe element for electrically coupling VDD and VSS source lines in thedata write operation, the operation margin in the writing can beimproved as in the construction of the write assist circuit shown inFIG. 53, and effect similar to that by the construction shown in FIG. 53can be provided.

In the construction of the write assist circuit shown in FIG. 55, it ispossible to implement the write assist circuit by utilizing thetransistors of the layout similar to that of the memory cells of twocolumns. Thus, the transistor corresponding to the access transistor ofthe memory cell can be utilized as N-channel MOS transistor NT102 forelectrical coupling, and therefore, the write assist circuit can bearranged by regularly and repetitively arranging the transistorformation region, although there is a difference in internalinterconnection layout.

[Third Construction of Write Assist Circuit]

FIG. 56 shows a third construction of the write assist circuit accordingto the seventeenth embodiment of the invention. The write assistcircuits shown in FIG. 56 differ in construction from write assistcircuits APCKa and APCKb shown in FIGS. 53 and 54 in the followingpoints. N- and P-channel MOS transistors NT110 and PT110 are arranged inseries between VDD and VSS source lines VDM and VSM. N-channel MOStransistor NT110 has a gate coupled to node NDA, and MOS transistorPT110 has a gate receiving the output signal of inverter IV15. N- andP-channel MOS transistors NT110 and PT110 are coupled to VDD and VSSsource lines VDM and VSM, respectively.

Other constructions of the write assist circuit shown in FIG. 56 and thearrangement of memory cells are the same as those shown in FIG. 53 or55. Corresponding portions are allotted with the same referencenumerals, and description thereof is not repeated.

FIG. 57 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation of thewrite assist circuit shown in FIG. 56 in the data write operation.Referring to FIG. 57, description will now be given of an operation ofthe write assist circuit shown in FIG. 56.

In the data writing, when the potentials of bit lines BL and /BL changeaccording to the write data, and the potential of one of the bit linesbecomes lower than input logical threshold VT of NAND gate NG1, node NDAattains the H level. Responsively, MOS transistors PT3 and NT100 areturned off, and MOS transistors NT110 and PT110 are turned on. VDD andVSS source lines VDM and VSM that are in the floating state areelectrically coupled via MOS transistors PT110 and NT110. A combinedresistance of the on-resistances of MOS transistors PT110 and NT110 ismuch larger than the on-resistance of one MOS transistor, and thereforemovement of the charges between source lines VDM and VSM in the floatingstate is suppressed. As shown in FIG. 57, therefore, the potentialchanges of VDD and VSS source lines VDM and VSM are suppressed to agreater extent than in the case of using one MOS transistor.

Thereby, such a situation is avoided that excessive rising of thepotential of VSS source line VSM or excessive lowering of the potentialof VDD source line VDM occurs to deteriorate the data holdingcharacteristics of the memory cell, leading to data destruction.Thereby, the write operation margin can be increased more safely whilesuppressing lowering of the data holding characteristics.

Modification

FIG. 58 shows a construction of a modification of the third constructionof the write assist circuit. In each of write assist circuits APCKa andAPCKb, P- and N-channel MOS transistors PT112 and NT112 are connected inseries between VDD and VSS source lines VDM and VSM. P-channel MOStransistor PT112 has a gate receiving the output signal of inverterIV15, and N-channel MOS transistor NT112 has a gate coupled to node NDA.P- and N-channel MOS transistors PT112 and NT112 are coupled to VDD andVSS source lines VDM and VSM, respectively.

Other constructions of the write assist circuit, arrangement of memorycells and arrangement of the cell power supply lines shown in FIG. 58are the same as those shown in FIG. 56. Corresponding portions areallotted with the same reference numerals, and description thereof isnot repeated.

The MOS transistors for electrically coupling VDD and VSS source linesVDM and VSM change positions, as compared with the transistor elementsin the write assist circuit shown in FIG. 56. Therefore, with theconstruction shown in FIG. 58, substantially the same effect can beachieved as the construction of the write assist circuit shown in FIG.56. Thus, the amount of potential changes of VDD and VSS source linescan be suppressed, to suppress deterioration of the data holdingcharacteristics of the memory cell, and data can be stably held.

In the construction of the seventeenth embodiment described above, thewrite assist circuits are arranged on the opposite sides of the bitlines. However, the write assist circuit may be arranged at a centralportion of the bit lines. If the bit line has a hierarchical structureincluding local and global bit lines, the write assist circuit may bearranged for each local bit line.

It has been described that cell power supply line pairs APVL0-APVLn (VDDand VSS source lines VDM and VSM) are individually arrangedcorresponding to the memory cell columns, respectively. However, theseVDD and VSS source lines VDM may be arranged commonly to the memoryarray blocks, and the high- and low-side power supply voltages may beadjusted in units of memory array blocks.

According to the seventeenth embodiment of the invention, as describedabove, high- and low-side power supply lines (VDD and VSS source lines)arranged in the memory cell array are forced into floating state and areelectrically coupled in the data write operation so that the voltagebetween the power supply nodes in the memory cell can be reduced furtherreliably in the data writing, and the operation margin in the writingoperation can be increased. Since the cell power supply line is isolatedfrom the power supply node, and the charges move merely between the VDDand VSS source lines VDM and VSM, so that it is possible to preventflowing of a through current between the high- and low-side power supplynodes and thus to reduce the current consumption.

Eighteenth Embodiment

FIG. 59 schematically shows a construction of a main portion of asemiconductor memory device according to an eighteenth embodiment of theinvention. The semiconductor memory device shown in FIG. 59 differs inconstruction from the semiconductor memory device shown in FIG. 50 inthe following points.

A cell power supply control circuit 150 includes write assist circuitsBPCK0-BPCKn arranged corresponding to cell power supply line pairsAPVL0-APVLn arranged corresponding to the bit line pairs, respectively.These write assist circuits BPCK0-BPCKn change the voltage levels of thecell power supply line pairs arranged corresponding to a selected columnaccording to column select signals CSL0-CSLn applied from column selectcircuit 4 and a write instruction signal WEN applied from main controlcircuit 7.

Column select signals CSL0-CSLn applied from column select circuit 4correspond to the column select signal (CSL) applied from the columndecoder (4 a) as shown in FIG. 8, and are produced according to columnaddress signal CA. Write instruction signal WEN is produced by maincontrol circuit 7 according to a write enable signal WE and chip enablesignal CE, and is made active in the data write operation.

A potential holding circuit 160 is arranged for cell power supply linepairs APVL0-APVLn at ends remote from cell power supply control circuit150. Potential holding circuit 160 includes keeper circuits KP0-KPnarranged corresponding to cell power supply line pairs APVL0-APVLn,respectively. Keeper circuits KP0-KPn clamp the lower limit values ofhigh-side power supply voltages VDD and the upper limit values oflow-side power supply voltages VSS on corresponding cell power supplyline pairs APVL0-APVLn at the predetermined voltage levels,respectively. With such configuration, excessive changes in potential ofcell power supply line pairs APVL0-APVLn are suppressed in the datawrite operation.

Other constructions of the semiconductor memory device shown in FIG. 59are the same as those of the semiconductor memory device shown in FIG.50. Corresponding portions are allotted with the same referencenumerals, and description thereof is not repeated.

In the construction shown in FIG. 59, write assist circuits BPCK0-BPCKnadjust the voltage levels of corresponding cell power supply line pairsAPVL0-APVLn according to write instruction signal WEN and column selectsignals CSL0-CSLn, respectively. Therefore, the voltage levels of cellpower supply line pairs APVL0-APVLn can be adjusted before the change ofthe bit line potentials, and the data writing can be completed at afaster timing.

By arranging cell power supply control circuit 150 near the columnselect circuit, the column select signals can be transmitted to therespective write assist circuits while suppressing increase ininterconnection length of the column select signal lines. Write assistcircuits BPCK0-BPCKn merely adjust the potentials of the cell powersupply lines (VDD and VSS source lines VDM and VSM) according to thepotentials of the corresponding bit line pairs, respectively, and theloads are small as compared with the potential control of the substrateregion (well region), so that the transistor size can be reduced, andincrease in circuit layout area can be suppressed.

FIG. 60 shows, by way of example, specific constructions of keepercircuits KP0-KPn and write assist circuits BPCK0-BPCKn shown in FIG. 59.FIG. 60 representatively shows a construction of a portion related tothe memory cells in one column. Word lines WL0-WL3 are arrangedcorresponding to memory cells MC, respectively. The memory cells alignedin one column may be greater in number than those shown in FIG. 60. Theconstruction shown in FIG. 60 is arranged corresponding to each memorycell column.

At one end of bit line pair BL and /BL, there are arranged bit line loadcircuit 9 that precharges the bit lines to a predetermined voltage levelequal to or lower than the power supply voltage, and supplies a columncurrent to the bit lines as well as column select gate CSG that is madeconductive according to column select signal CSL, to couplecorresponding bit lines BL and /BL to internal data line pair 10.

Write assist circuit BPCK includes an NAND gate NG10 receiving columnselect signal CSL and write instruction signal WEN, an inverter IV20inverting the output signal of NAND gate NG10, P-channel MOS transistorPPQ1 coupling VDD source line VDM to the high-side power supply node(VDD node) according to the output signal of inverter IV20, N-channelMOS transistor NNQ1 coupling VSS source line VSM to the low-side powersupply node (VSS node) according to the output signal of NAND gate NG1,and P-channel MOS transistor PPQ2 electrically coupling source lines VDMand VSM according to the output signal of NAND gate NG10.

Write instruction signal WEN is set to the H level when made active (inthe data write operation). Column select signal CSL is at the H levelwhen a corresponding column is selected. Therefore, NAND gate NG10outputs the signal at the L level when column select signal CSLdesignates the corresponding column.

Keeper circuit KP includes a diode-connected P-channel MOS transistorPPQ3 connected between VDD source line VDM and the high-side powersupply node (VDD node), and a diode-connected N-channel MOS transistorNNQ2 connected between VSS source line VSM and the low-side power supplynode (VSS node).

MOS transistor PPQ3 has a gate coupled to VDD source line VDM, andclamps the lower limit value of the voltage on VDD source line VDM atthe voltage level of (VDD−Vthp). MOS transistor NNQ2 has a gate coupledto the low-side power supply node, and clamps the upper limit value ofthe voltage on VSS source line VSM at the voltage level of (Vthn+VSS).Here, Vthp and Vthn represent the absolute values of the thresholdvoltages of MOS transistors PPQ3 and NNQ2, respectively.

FIG. 61 is a signal waveform diagram representing an operation for datawriting of the construction shown in FIG. 60. Referring to FIG. 61,description will now be given of an operation of the write assistcircuit shown in FIG. 60.

In the standby state and the data read operation, write instructionsignal WEN is at the L level, the output signal of NAND gate NG10 is atthe H level, and the output signal of inverter IV20 is at the L level.In this state, therefore, both MOS transistors PPQ1 and NNQ1 are in anon state, and MOS transistor PPQ2 is in an off state. Therefore, VDD andVSS source lines VDM and VSM are maintained at the levels of high- andlow-side power supply voltages VDD and VSS, respectively. In this state,clamping MOS transistors PPQ3 and NNQ3 in keeper circuit KP are in thereversely biased state, and both are in an off state.

In the data write operation, write instruction signal WEN is activatedaccording to write enable signal WE. In this state, when column selectsignal CSL is in the selected state of the H level, the output signal ofNAND gate NG10 is at the L level, so that the output signal of inverterIV20 attains the H level. In this state, both MOS transistors PPQ1 andNNQ1 are in an off state, and MOS transistor PPQ2 is in an on state.Accordingly, VDD and VSS source lines VDM and VSM are isolated from thecorresponding power supply node, and are electrically coupled via MOStransistor PPQ2 to change the voltage levels thereof. When the MOStransistor PPQ2 has a small on-resistance, and the voltage levels of VDDand VSS source lines VDM and VSM change significantly, MOS transistorsPPQ3 and NNQ2 of keeper circuit KP clamp the respective voltage levels,to prevent excessive changes in voltage on these VDD and VSS sourcelines VDM and VSM beyond the voltages of (VDD−Vthp) and (VSS+Vthn).Consequently, it is possible to prevent such a situation that powersupply voltages VH and VL of the memory cell change significantly todegrade the data holding characteristics.

In this case, therefore, the voltage levels of VDD and VSS source linesVDM and VSM can be changed according to write instruction signal WENbefore the potential change depending on the write data occurs on bitlines BL and /BL, and the writing can be performed according to thewrite data with the noise margin of the memory cells in the selectedcolumn kept small. Therefore, the fast writing can be achieved.

In the data write operation, column select signal CSL for the memorycells on an unselected columns is in the unselected state of the Llevel. Therefore, the output signal of NAND gate NG10 is at the H level,and the VDD- and VSS-source lines VDM and VSM maintain the same levelsas those in the reading operation and the standby state, and thusmaintain the levels of high- and low-side power supply voltages VDD andVSS, respectively. The level of the memory cell power supply voltage isadjusted on only the memory cell column of a target of data writing, anderroneous writing on the memory cells in an unselected column isreliably prevented.

For the memory cells on the selected column and unselected rows, thechanges in voltage level of VDD and VSS source lines VDM and VSM aresmall, and deterioration of the data holding characteristics issuppressed, so that the data can be reliably held. The potentials ofcell power supply lines VDM and VSM for the unselected columns do notchange, and the potential change occurs only on the cell power supplylines in the selected column. The restoring of the voltage on the cellpower supply line is delayed until the selected column turns into theunselected column, and it is not necessary to restore the voltages onthe cell power supply lines in all the columns, and the currentconsumption is reduced.

For the construction of write assist circuit BPCK shown in FIG. 60, anN-channel MOS transistor may be employed instead of P-channel MOStransistor PPQ2 electrically coupling the source lines VDM and VSM witheach other. In this construction, the output signal of inverter IV20 isapplied to a gate of this potential change promoting N-channel MOStransistor.

Modification

FIG. 62 shows a construction of a modification of the write assistcircuit according to the eighteenth embodiment of the invention. Inwrite assist circuit BPCK shown in FIG. 62, N- and P-channel MOStransistors NNQ3 and PPQ4 are arranged in series between VDD and VSSsource lines VDM and VSM. MOS transistor NNQ3 has a gate coupled to nodeNDB, and MOS transistor PPQ4 has a gate coupled to the output of NANDgate NG10.

Other constructions of the write assist circuit shown in FIG. 62, thearrangement of the memory cells and the construction of keeper circuitKP are the same as those shown in FIG. 60. Corresponding portions areallotted with the same reference numerals, and description thereof isnot repeated.

A serial connection body of MOS transistors NNQ3 and PPQ4 can couple VDDand VSS source lines VDM and VSM via a larger on-resistance than that ofone switching transistor (transfer gate). Accordingly, it is possible toreduce the amounts of potential changes of VDD and VSS source lines VDMand VSM arranged corresponding to the selected column in the data writeoperation, and the write operation margin can be reliably increased tosuppress destruction of the held data of the unselected memory cells.

In the construction shown in FIG. 62, N-channel MOS transistors NNQ3 andPPQ4 may be replaced with each other. When MOS transistors NNQ3 and PPQ4have sufficient on-resistances, to make the amounts of the potentialchanges of VDD and VSS source lines VDM and VSM small, it is notparticularly necessary to provide keeper circuit KP.

According to the eighteenth embodiment of the invention, as describedabove, the voltage levels of the cell power supply lines provided forthe selected column are adjusted in the write operation, so that thewrite operation margin can be made large, and the data writing can beperformed fast.

When the potential changes, electrical coupling is merely made betweenVDD and VSS source lines VDM and VSM in the floating state. Even whenthe write cycle is long, and charges move between the cell power supplylines, flowing of a DC current (through current) between the powersupply node and the ground node can be prevented. The effect ofsuppressing the DC current when the write cycle is long can be alsoachieved in the eighteenth embodiment.

In the eighteenth embodiment, the bit line may e formed into ahierarchical structure including local and global bit lines. Each writeassist circuit may be arranged for the local bit line.

Similarly to the seventeenth embodiment, write assist circuit BPCK maybe achieved by arranging and interconnecting NAND gate NG10, inverterIV20 and MOS transistors PPQ1 and NNQ1, using a transistor formationregion having a transistor layout similar to that of the two memorycells.

By applying the present invention to a static type semiconductor memorydevice, the write characteristics can be improved even with a low powersupply voltage, and the power supply voltage values providing the lowerlimit characteristics of writing and reading can be utilized, whichallows the lowered power supply voltage operation. Therefore, byutilizing the invention as a merged type memory in a highly integratedsemiconductor device such as a System On Chip (SOC), it is possible toimplement the semiconductor memory device that operates fast and stablywith low power consumption.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated indetail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustrationand example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spiritand scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms ofthe appended claims.

1-22. (canceled)
 23. A semiconductor device comprising: a power supplynode for a power supply voltage; a pair of bit lines; a plurality ofword lines; a plurality of memory cells coupled to the pair of bit linesand the plurality of word lines so that one memory cell is coupled toone word line and the pair of bit lines; a cell power supply linecoupled to the plurality of memory cells; a pair of data lines (IO); acolumn select gate coupled to receive a column select signal and forcoupling the pair of bit lines to the pair of data lines, respectively,based on the column select signal; and a p-channel type MOS transistorcoupled to receive the column select signal and for coupling the powersupply node to the cell power supply line based on the column selectsignal, wherein, among the plurality of memory cells, a memory cellcoupled closest to the p-channel type MOS transistor via the cell powersupply line is coupled closest to the column select gate via the pair ofbit lines.
 24. The semiconductor device according to claim 23, whereinthe p-channel type MOS transistor disconnects the power supply node tothe cell power supply line when data are written to the plurality ofmemory cells.
 25. The semiconductor device according to claim 23,wherein the p-channel type MOS transistor disconnects the power supplynode to the cell power supply line based on the column select signalwhen the column select gate couples the pair of bit lines to the pair ofdata lines for writing data to one of the plurality of memory cellsbased on the column select signal.
 26. The semiconductor deviceaccording to claim 23, wherein the column select gate couples the pairof bit lines to the pair of data lines based on an active of the columnselect signal, and wherein the p-channel type MOS transistor connectsthe power supply node to the cell power supply line based on anon-active of the column select signal.
 27. The semiconductor deviceaccording to claim 23, wherein the p-channel type MOS transistordisconnects the power supply node to the cell power supply line based onthe active of the column select signal and a signal active on a writeoperation to a memory cell.
 28. The semiconductor device according toclaim 23, wherein each of the plurality of memory cells includes: afirst inverter having an input coupled to a first storage node and anoutput coupled to a second storage node, a second inverter having aninput coupled to the second storage node and an output coupled to thefirst storage node, a first access transistor having a gate coupled toone of the plurality of word lines and a source-drain path coupledbetween one of the pair of bit lines and the first storage node; asecond access transistor having a gate coupled to the one of theplurality of word lines and a source-drain path coupled between theother of the pair of bit lines and the second storage node; wherein thefirst inverter includes: a first load transistor coupled between thesecond storage node and the cell power supply line and having a gateelectrode coupled to the first storage node, and a first drivetransistor coupled to the second storage node and having a gateelectrode coupled to the first storage node; and wherein the secondinverter includes: a second load transistor coupled between the firststorage node and the cell power supply line and having a gate electrodecoupled to the second storage node, and a second drive transistorconnected to the first storage node and having a gate electrodeconnected to the second storage node.
 29. A semiconductor devicecomprising: a power supply node for a power supply voltage; a pair ofbit lines; a plurality of word lines; a plurality of memory cellscoupled to the pair of bit lines and the plurality of word lines so thatone memory cell is coupled to one word line and the pair of bit lines; acell power supply line coupled to the plurality of memory cells; a pairof data lines; a column select gate which is coupled to receive a columnselect signal and which couples the pair of bit lines to the pair ofdata lines, respectively, based on the column select signal; and ap-channel type MOS transistor which couples the power supply node to thecell power supply line based on the column select signal and a writeinstruction signal, wherein, among the plurality of memory cells, amemory cell coupled closest to the p-channel type MOS transistor via thecell power supply line is coupled closest to the column select gate viathe pair of bit lines, and wherein the p-channel type MOS transistordisconnects the power supply node to the cell power supply line based onthe active of the column select signal and the active of the writeinstruction signal.
 30. The semiconductor device according to claim 23,wherein each of the plurality of memory cells includes: a first inverterhaving an input coupled to a first storage node and an output coupled toa second storage node, a second inverter having an input coupled to thesecond storage node and an output coupled to the first storage node, afirst access transistor having a gate coupled to one of the plurality ofword lines and a source-drain path coupled between one of the pair ofbit lines and the first storage node; and a second access transistorhaving a gate coupled to the one of the plurality of word lines and asource-drain path coupled between the other of the pair of bit lines andthe second storage node; wherein the first inverter includes: a firstload transistor coupled between the second storage node and the cellpower supply line and having a gate electrode coupled to the firststorage node, storage node and having a gate electrode coupled to thefirst storage node; and wherein the second inverter includes: a secondload transistor coupled between the first storage node and the cellpower supply line and having a gate electrode coupled to the secondstorage node, and a second drive transistor connected to the firststorage node and having a gate electrode connected to the second storagenode.
 31. A semiconductor device comprising: a power supply node for apower supply voltage; a pair of bit lines; a plurality of word lines; aplurality of memory cells coupled to the pair of bit lines and theplurality of word lines so that one memory cell is coupled to one wordline and the pair of bit lines, each of the plurality of memory cellsincluding: a first inverter having an input coupled to a first storagenode and an output coupled to a second storage node, a second inverterhaving an input coupled to the second storage node and an output coupledto the first storage node, a first access transistor having a gatecoupled to one of the plurality of word lines and a source-drain pathcoupled between one of the pair of bit lines and the first storage node;and a second access transistor having a gate coupled to the one of theplurality of word lines and a source-drain path coupled between theother of the pair of bit lines and the second storage node; a cell powersupply line coupled to the plurality of memory cells; a pair of datalines; a column select gate which is coupled to receive a column selectsignal and which couples the pair of bit lines to the pair of datalines, respectively, based on the column select signal; and a p-channeltype MOS transistor which couples the power supply node to the cellpower supply line based on the column select signal and a writeinstruction signal, wherein, among the plurality of memory cells, amemory cell coupled closest to the p-channel type MOS transistor via thecell power supply line is coupled closest to the column select gate viathe pair of bit lines, wherein the p-channel type MOS transistordisconnects the power supply node to the cell power supply line based onthe active of the column select signal and the active of the writeinstruction signal.
 32. The semiconductor device according to claim 31,wherein the first inverter includes: a first load transistor coupledbetween the second storage node and the cell power supply line andhaving a gate electrode coupled to the first storage node, and a firstdrive transistor coupled to the second storage node and having a gateelectrode coupled to the first storage node; and wherein the secondinverter includes: a second load transistor coupled between the firststorage node and the cell power supply line and having a gate electrodecoupled to the second storage node, and a second drive transistorconnected to the first storage node and having a gate electrodeconnected to the second storage node.